Homeless Nigerians living in a slum...

THE ONLY ANTI-GRAFT AGENCIES POWER CAN'T BUY?

THE ONLY ANTI-GRAFT AGENCIES POWER CANT BUY?

The primary reason for establishing, anti-graft agencies is not unconnected to the western governments, to check public officers about their financial transactions. The Economic financial crimes commission (EFCC) and independent corrupt practices commission (ICPC) is mandated, to check such in Nigeria. Over the years they have struggled not to be, but an instrument against the disobedient one.

Majorly, the greatest challenge facing Nigeria and Africa at large is corruption, it has eaten deep into our democratic system, and has become epidemic affecting our socio-political and economic life. How to fight it becomes a problem, because one of the Marxism of equity says  ‘He that wants equity must come with clean hands’. The question is, is our anti-graft agency coming with clean hands? What are their algorithms in arraigning a suspect?

However, there are controversial issues surrounding the anti-graft agencies since inception under Rtd gen, Olusegun Obasanjo regime, the first chairman of the Economic financial crimes commission, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, was mandated to search publicofficers, with financial crimes, the agency did its best, but when cases involving the sacred cows is unveil, he was sacked and probed by the anti-graft agency. Same, is happening to the immediate past chairman of the agency Mrs Farida Waziri, who knows Ibrahim Lamode could be the anti-graft messiah.

Furthermore, political interference has encapsulated these agencies, no wonder the Independent corrupt practices commission (ICPC) is regarded as a toothless bulldog. The political countenance on our anti-graft agencies has hindered it from being independent. All strife’s and agitation to emancipate it by the body prove abortive. See the case of the former speaker of the senate Mr Dimeji Bankole, when he was in detention, the best thing the attorney general could do is to challenge the Economic financial crimes commission (EFCC) of harassing public officers, he accuses them of not following the due process and compared the issue if it were to be United States of America, just because one of the cow is involved.

Status quo, those who are involved in huge financial scandal gets bailed while in detention or rather going to courts and gets bailed with some whopping amount of money, and thereby discharge and acquitted in which a common man will face the full measure of the law. Creating an independent financial crimes court has erupt, controversies in the nation, but I hold this view that if there are special courts for industries and trade for easy adjudication of related cases, why is it so hard, for the authorities to carve out financial crimes court. There are plethora cases pending, before each state’s high court involving financial crimes  and thereby delaying viable judgments an exposing the seat of the judiciary to suspicion.

Clueless policies have envelope our anti-graft agencies and the nation at large and its hampering its effort towards achieving such awkward task. Selfish desire and the willingness of Nigeria’s politician to perpetrate in corruption has impede the view of making the anti-graft agencies so autonomous, why won’t there be political interference when the agencies are under the office of the minister of justice and attorney general. Their actions have shown they are enjoying on a roller coaster with corruption.

What is the essence of transforming the nation when the feel of corruption is everywhere and the government pretends not to know? The reason d’etre of this article and what constitutes our anti-graft agencies is the political will on the anti-graft agencies is hindering the activities of the agencies. Make them autonomous, give them special financial crimes court, to adjudicate properly at their own jurisdiction, and the idea of a Rtd judge would be the chairman of the Economic financial crimes commission should be nullified, because is a way of relatively making the agency loose as much as possible. But my only fear is that Nigeria is yet to make a sordid decision on this issue. Transforming the Nation without transforming the anti-graft agencies is a De je vu.

FADESIRE TEMITOPE

LASGOS STATE UNVERSITY STUDENT.

LOCAL HERBS SELLERS AT YABA RAILWAY LAGOS STATE.

FAILURE ACCUSES FAILURE.

The weak nature of our judicial system, has put words into the mouth of Rtd, military president, Ibrahim badamosi  babangida, popularly known as the evil genius, accusing the olusegun obasanjo  administration as a failure. First of all, profiles of the two administrations should be checked, and compared to one another. According to IBB, in an interview granted by him he said, the OBJ administration was a failure by looting public funds and wasting sixty billion US dollars on power project which till date was not accounted for. He said with those funds he will build Nigeria a Nuclear

This is just the pot calling the kettle black, both of their administration has shown insecurity and disloyalty in governance, they both spent eight years in office, and nothing to show for it. The IBB administration spent 40 billion naira on transition to civil rule programme, its administration skyrocketed corruption, the ING (interim national government) that he bequeathed has no legitimacy, and under this administration the international world lost their patience with Nigeria having annulled the June 12, election he was pressured to leave the seat of power and left Nigeria in confusion.

The OBJ administration was nothing to write home about, right now OBJ is being probe on the BPE (bureaucratic privatization enterprise) of companies during his administration. His administration looted so many funds such as the NPF (national petroleum trust fund). Etc   his administration has no policy on education, health, social amenities etc. His administration was known to hike the pumping price of petrol and corruption was at large with so many tentacles. Both of them left office and build a mansion for themselves OBJ build fifty flats, and IBB build a mansion with fifty bedrooms respectively, both of these two rulers and not president never believed in the youth, IBB  once made a statement like that.

One thing Nigerians should note is not to commit a blue murder, few Nigerians eulogises IBB  because of the basic amenities his government has provide, which is the responsibility of any administration and it is entrenched in section 14 of the Nigerian constitution and must be fulfilled by any administration. In 2007 presidential election when IBB came out as a presidential candidate he eulogised OBJ as a father who taught him to be strong, having known Olusegun Obasanjo has its own presidential candidate .why now should he tag OBJ a failure.

It is so sad that these two men still have the effrontery to create an interlude in the political affairs of the nation; since the judiciary can’t bring them to book they have being known to be sacred cows. The former Egyptians president Hoslni  Mubbarrack his facing serious probe, about how his administration was. Only God knows when that will happen in Nigeria.

Nigerians should cast their minds off these men, they should represent the dark era in Nigeria because they epitomise failure, and nothing more. They should look forward in seeing a better Nigeria; they should also support the incumbent administration in achieving the transformation goal.

 FADESIRE TEMITOPE

LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT.

MILITARY INTERVENTION AGAIN?

It is known all over the world, that there is only one wind of change which is democracy. However, the kaaki administration has been tagged, an aberration to any sovereign state in the world. The chief of army staff Lt. Gen Azubike Ihejirika, and all armed forces has warned politicians against dividing Nigeria and assured that the army would remain apolitical.

The hackney statement made by the chief of army staff in concensus with the Nigerian armed forces, needs effective caution from the politicians if Nigeria is not in a hurry to lose its fourth republic to the kaaki boys. Nigerians should ask petinent questions that affect individuals well being, why is the military wing warning politicians against disunity, in the face of prevailing unrest circumstance in the nation. Are they planning to chance on the current status of Nigeria to grasp power? Having known military intervention in any state or nation will cause debacle to the nation’s relationship with the outside world, and make such state a pariah one.

A passionate reader will agree with me, various political happenstances, since independence has contributed no small amount to the crawling economic level of Nigeria. The only time Nigerians had a feel of governance was during Gowon’s administration, a military leader, thereafter, subsequent administration contributed to the falling state of Nigeria. The Shehu Shagari administration was mandated to lead Nigeria beyond expectation but the outcome was not forgiven in history. The trait of political maladministration was transferred from one administration even to the current administration. The problem with our politicians is neither greed nor covetous but the lack of prepared mind to serve the nation, even our most sought after independence was given, when only few are prepared and not the large Nigerian’s. So are we to say Nigeria is under colonised?

However, the barometer used in measuring a nation development is observing other nation achievement, and comparing it with ours. Many nations that were thought to be under developed when it comes to the third world countries are stepping up their country to be the best. Let’s cite an example from Brazil, the immediate past president of Brazil, Mr, luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, through his effective and applicable policies, has been able to uplift twenty million Brazilians from a low class, to the middle class, few of the middle class to the high class. What about South-Africa, we might say they were over colonised, but they were able to maintain the standards, bequeathed to them by the metropolitans powers. Coming down to Nigeria, our politicians are indifferent about uplifting the economy.

The affluent life of our politicians indeed needs caution not from just the military wing, but from Nigerians, which I thought was done but they were adamant. The recent trial of senator njume , suspected to be one the finance members of Boko haram is utter disdain which needs adequate justice. Is only in Nigeria a Politician would be established as a sole judge to fight corruption, and how can they bring equity when they never come with clean hands. The sacred cow syndrome is still with Nigerian politician and they have succeeded in transferring such thought to their children, and I ask, where is the future of Nigeria?

This is a clarion call for all our politician and Nigerians, to help protect her struggling democracy from the khaki boys. The warning has more connotative meaning and affects Nigerians negatively. Who knows if our politicians adhere to the warnings, the dooms day might be shifted.