Thank you Buhari, but……

By Remi Oyeyemi …

“If any of my associates or party members is indicted of corruption, they cannot escape justice. There is not going to be any APC member or any close personality found guilty that would escape justice.” – President Muhammadu Buhariduring an interview with the CNN anchor, Christiane Amanpour .

“Justice is justice……. The most important thing is let justice be done.” – President Muhammadu Buhari during the same interview

Big thanks to President Mohammadu Buhari for finally declaring his assets publicly. He deserves to be applauded for this action. He has broken a new ground for this country. The implications and ramifications of this are momentous. Part of this is that everyone who wants to serve in this government would have to do the same. If they do the same, it would be more difficult to become a thief in this government. If they could not steal, obviously, they would not have a choice but to serve the country the best way they know how.

With President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo setting an example in this regard, Nigerians are waiting for the public declaration of assets of everyone that is working in the presidency. The Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief of Staff, all his Senior Special Advisers or Assistants and their assistants, all other important political appointees and directors of important agencies of the Federal Government must all declare their assets. They are all invited to serve Nigerians as privileged servants and not bosses to the Nigerian people. Nigerians want to know what they are worth as they go into these offices. Nigerians do not want anyone to be a conduit for laundering pilfered commonwealth of ours. It is the only way Nigerians could ascertain that they are truly being served and not being sucked.

Though, this public declaration of assets is just one aspect of several expectations from President Buhari’s administration, one would take it with gratitude while the President’s feet would continue to be held to fire for those other expectations such as even distributions of resources among all ethnic nationalities; balanced, fair, unbiased and equitable fight against corruption; prudent management of the economy and creation of jobs for our youth as well as provision of security, especially the defeat of Boko Haram. As public commentators, this is our thankless task – to speak for the voiceless and advocate for the weak and the disadvantaged.

The task President Buhari has taken upon himself is to cleanse Nigeria of corruption and all its vestiges. It is a laudable task that has to be accomplished and all Nigerians agree with this because they believe it is the only way Nigeria can function like a humane society where the welfare of its citizens are a matter of priority. Thus, it was very uplifting when the President declared in the United States that if any of his “associates or party members is indicted of corruption, they cannot escape justice.” He insisted, “There is not going to be any APC member or any close personality found guilty that would escape justice.”

Now, the time for the President to prove this has come. This is the time once again to come through with his promise to Nigerians and the world at large. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has begun to investigate some former governors for corruption. The governors according to news reports are Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State; Chief Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. Press reports on this matter noted that there are other four on the waiting list. Those on waiting list include Alhaji Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State and Alhaji Sule Lamido of Jigawa State.

On this list are some of his very close friends and party members. They are Governors Amaechi, Fashola and Kwankwanso. They are high stakeholders in the coming of age of the Buhari ambition to lead and govern Nigeria. Now here they are with serious allegations of corruption hanging around their necks, lacing around their wrists and buckling around their ankles. ICPC has not chosen them at random or based on guess work. They have been pinpointed for investigation based on documented allegations.

The questions on the minds of Nigerians about the investigations are many. They are worried that these men are too close to President Buhari for

comfort. Governor Amaechi was the Director of President Buhari’s Campaign Organization. Fashola and Kwankwanso were heavy lifters for the efforts to

elect President Buhari. Fashola especially is a member of Buhari’s kitchen cabinet. Nigerians are now wondering if justice could ever be done. They

are concerned about the ability of the ICPC to be able to withstand the pressure that might be brought to bear.

Read also: Does President Buhari give a damn about asset declaration?

Nigerians are worried if ever the poor and the dispossessed in the states governed by these friends of President Buhari would get any justice.

Nigerians are worried that these President Buhari’s friends have so much money and wealth at their disposal to buy justice and game the system.

Nigerians are concerned that with corrupt justices or judges on the bench, justice might still elude the robbed critical mass. Nigerians are worried

that the war against corruption may not be waged in these privileged quarters of President Buhari’s inner circle.

Despite the biases of Nigerians, they are largely a fair minded people. They could be forgiving and pardoning. If things are insignificant, Nigerians

are ready to over look. They would not want innocent people jailed or condemned for what they did not do. Nigerians would not want Governor Amaechi

sent to jail if he was not guilty. Neither would they want Fashola nor Kwankwanso imprisoned if either of them did not steal any money.

But these men have been displaying stupendous wealth and richness. They live well above their legitimate means. Nothing convicts them in advance more

than their own conspicuous consumptions. Some of them carry around humongous amount of dollars and pound sterling in their Agbada and suits. Where

did all these monies come from? What is the source of all the wealth with which they acquired high profile properties they own? How much damage have they done to the polity through theft and corruption?

This is where Buhari comes in. He must give the ICPC the free rein to do its job. He must frown at any peddling of influence to sweep things under the

carpet. Anyone caught trying to peddle influence and lobbying to letting the guilty off the cuff ought to be prosecuted and sent to jail. President

Buhari has to stand by his promise and ensure that any associates or party members of his indicted of corruption, did not escape justice. As President himself had said “The most important thing is let justice be done.”

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.”

– John F. Kennedy, in his Inaugural Address January 20, 1961

RipplesNigeria …without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now