Editor's note:
Nigerians and indeed the rest of the world are closely following President Muhammadu Buhari's moves to battle and eventually root out corruption in Nigeria. But our news contributor says we are so entangled in our own hypocrisy, justifying prosecution of certain groups and complaining about probing of others, that we do not understand that everyone has to face same consequences for same offences.
"No one will be spared"
It is no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari made "anti-corruption war" one of his main campaign slogans during the last electioneering campaign. He sang it from south to the north, both in Africa and in Europe, day and night. He ran jingles of it in printed media, radio stations, television channels, as well as on the social media platforms. This caused panic in both the opposition party and his own party because Buhari is known to be very strict when it comes to following the rule of law.
He had promised not to probe anybody before him but to punish any person culpable of wrongdoings under his watch. This statement was used against him: the critics said this strategy of promising "amnesty" would allow some corrupt politicians in the APC to escape Buhari's anti-corruption axe.
But recently, Buhari told a CNN correspondent no mighty man will escape justice, whether in the APC or not.
Dealing with the legacy of the past administrations
The voice of the people is the voice of the government. The people asked for change, and the change is here. What baffles me is what people are now terming "witch-hunt, impunity, persecution, ethnic sideline, marginalization, humiliation, political motivation," etc. Have they forgotten so soon what Buhari said? That when he starts probing people, he should not be seen as settling old scores.
Before Buhari came on board, there was quite a number of politicians already on the EFCC watch-list, some were already in court. Former governor Lamido of Jigawa state and his sons have been indicted by the EFCC during past administration. His sons were left alone because of their father's immunity. Former governor Nyako of Adamawa was declared wanted during GEJ's administration but left the country. Former governor Sylva of Bayelsa was also dragged to court by the EFCC by the past administration. Former governor Ohakim was not left out, as well as former governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi state.
It is very sad for people to now say PMB is witch-hunting his perceived enemies as if it was during his regime that these politicians were indicted. Buhari has not even started his own anti-corruption war because these men are carryover cases inherited from the past administration.
Nigerians are taking sides when they shouldn't
Another funny thing that happened immediately after Buhari entered was the two court cases the EFCC lost against Sylva and Fani-Kayode. When Sylva's case was thrown out, Buhari's critics were asking: "Is this the change we asked for?", but when Fani-Kayode's case was quashed, Buhari's critics never murmured. I thought they would accuse him of directing the court to also quash FKK's case to woo him back to the APC but instead, they said it was justice.
Again, when governor Ohakim was released on bail and asked to pay the exact amount of money he was accused of laundering with surety, his people said it was ridiculous. Nyako and his accompilices were also granted bail of above N1 billion with surety. No one ever expressed their dissatisfaction with the court's decisions, but immediately Lamido was not granted bail and referred to a vacation judge to hear his bail application, the atmosphere was engulfed with "impunity".
Imagine his people burning the APC flag knowing fully well that he and his sons have always been on the EFCC's watch-list. It is ridiculus that we Nigerians support our thieves.
Lately, we heard the DSS went to Dasuki, the former national security adviser's, house, ransacked it and put him under house arrest for several hours. The PDP said it was impunity, witch-hunt, humiliation, etc. Even I am supprise to see the south-eastern people protesting against Dasuki's arrest. I asked myself is this man not an Aboki, again.
The invitation of Bukola Saraki's wife by the EFCC is another baffling issue. It is normal to hear the PDP calling their members' arrest as impunity or persecution, but it is mind-blowing to read that the APC members are calling the invitation of Saraki's wife a witch-hunt on the part of the presidency but keeping silence on the relative of Yar'Adua's being invited by the EFCC. Are they saying PMB's corruption searchlight should only ray on non-APC members? Justice is justice whether north or south, APC or non-APC members.
We are not allowing Buhari to start
It is high time Nigerians dropped sentiments and faced reality. We should stop supporting our people who are indicted by the anti-graft agencies because that stalls their persecution. For God's sake, it is our collective wealth we are talking about here.
We are quick to support them when they are indicted because we think there are other thieves roaming the streets untouched. But there is a saying: "A person caught stealing is the one called a thief". Had Jonathan's government brought those perceived criminals to book, they would probably have been reduced to prison before the emergence of Buhari. Since Jonathan was not ready to do that, let's rally around the person that wants to.
You don't know what our politicians enjoy doing. First, they instigate the public against the government so as to paint themselves saints. Whenever they hear the rumour that they might be queried by the government, they run to the public to say: "I am going to be persecuted, if anything happens, so and so person should be held responsible." Yet, they are criminals.
When a tribe is in power, and a man from another tribe who happens to be in the opposition is accused of mismanaging funds while in office, his people will call it "impunity, persecution, humiliation and hatred metted on their kinsman". If the person is of the same tribe with the present administration, they will tag it along the party line. They also assume that people from the same party should not be prosecuted because they supported the leader into power.
So whom should the government probe if there are myriads of protests from tribes, religions, parties… and, amazingly, within the same party? I want to know who Buhari should probe and when he should start.
God Bless Nigeria!
"No one will be spared"
It is no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari made "anti-corruption war" one of his main campaign slogans during the last electioneering campaign. He sang it from south to the north, both in Africa and in Europe, day and night. He ran jingles of it in printed media, radio stations, television channels, as well as on the social media platforms. This caused panic in both the opposition party and his own party because Buhari is known to be very strict when it comes to following the rule of law.
He had promised not to probe anybody before him but to punish any person culpable of wrongdoings under his watch. This statement was used against him: the critics said this strategy of promising "amnesty" would allow some corrupt politicians in the APC to escape Buhari's anti-corruption axe.
But recently, Buhari told a CNN correspondent no mighty man will escape justice, whether in the APC or not.
Dealing with the legacy of the past administrations
The voice of the people is the voice of the government. The people asked for change, and the change is here. What baffles me is what people are now terming "witch-hunt, impunity, persecution, ethnic sideline, marginalization, humiliation, political motivation," etc. Have they forgotten so soon what Buhari said? That when he starts probing people, he should not be seen as settling old scores.
Before Buhari came on board, there was quite a number of politicians already on the EFCC watch-list, some were already in court. Former governor Lamido of Jigawa state and his sons have been indicted by the EFCC during past administration. His sons were left alone because of their father's immunity. Former governor Nyako of Adamawa was declared wanted during GEJ's administration but left the country. Former governor Sylva of Bayelsa was also dragged to court by the EFCC by the past administration. Former governor Ohakim was not left out, as well as former governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi state.
It is very sad for people to now say PMB is witch-hunting his perceived enemies as if it was during his regime that these politicians were indicted. Buhari has not even started his own anti-corruption war because these men are carryover cases inherited from the past administration.
Nigerians are taking sides when they shouldn't
Another funny thing that happened immediately after Buhari entered was the two court cases the EFCC lost against Sylva and Fani-Kayode. When Sylva's case was thrown out, Buhari's critics were asking: "Is this the change we asked for?", but when Fani-Kayode's case was quashed, Buhari's critics never murmured. I thought they would accuse him of directing the court to also quash FKK's case to woo him back to the APC but instead, they said it was justice.
Again, when governor Ohakim was released on bail and asked to pay the exact amount of money he was accused of laundering with surety, his people said it was ridiculous. Nyako and his accompilices were also granted bail of above N1 billion with surety. No one ever expressed their dissatisfaction with the court's decisions, but immediately Lamido was not granted bail and referred to a vacation judge to hear his bail application, the atmosphere was engulfed with "impunity".
Imagine his people burning the APC flag knowing fully well that he and his sons have always been on the EFCC's watch-list. It is ridiculus that we Nigerians support our thieves.
Lately, we heard the DSS went to Dasuki, the former national security adviser's, house, ransacked it and put him under house arrest for several hours. The PDP said it was impunity, witch-hunt, humiliation, etc. Even I am supprise to see the south-eastern people protesting against Dasuki's arrest. I asked myself is this man not an Aboki, again.
The invitation of Bukola Saraki's wife by the EFCC is another baffling issue. It is normal to hear the PDP calling their members' arrest as impunity or persecution, but it is mind-blowing to read that the APC members are calling the invitation of Saraki's wife a witch-hunt on the part of the presidency but keeping silence on the relative of Yar'Adua's being invited by the EFCC. Are they saying PMB's corruption searchlight should only ray on non-APC members? Justice is justice whether north or south, APC or non-APC members.
We are not allowing Buhari to start
It is high time Nigerians dropped sentiments and faced reality. We should stop supporting our people who are indicted by the anti-graft agencies because that stalls their persecution. For God's sake, it is our collective wealth we are talking about here.
We are quick to support them when they are indicted because we think there are other thieves roaming the streets untouched. But there is a saying: "A person caught stealing is the one called a thief". Had Jonathan's government brought those perceived criminals to book, they would probably have been reduced to prison before the emergence of Buhari. Since Jonathan was not ready to do that, let's rally around the person that wants to.
You don't know what our politicians enjoy doing. First, they instigate the public against the government so as to paint themselves saints. Whenever they hear the rumour that they might be queried by the government, they run to the public to say: "I am going to be persecuted, if anything happens, so and so person should be held responsible." Yet, they are criminals.
When a tribe is in power, and a man from another tribe who happens to be in the opposition is accused of mismanaging funds while in office, his people will call it "impunity, persecution, humiliation and hatred metted on their kinsman". If the person is of the same tribe with the present administration, they will tag it along the party line. They also assume that people from the same party should not be prosecuted because they supported the leader into power.
So whom should the government probe if there are myriads of protests from tribes, religions, parties… and, amazingly, within the same party? I want to know who Buhari should probe and when he should start.
God Bless Nigeria!
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