Probe and war on corruption: The Nigerian Perspectives By Udeh, Kenneth

I read reactions of many Nigerians on President Buhari's anti-graft blueprint. The word, 'probe' has blatantly been misused, misapplied and perhaps misinterpreted out of context by most commentators. For many writers and bookmakers, probe is used interchangeably with prosecution, persecution and jail. An average Nigerian has polysemic perceptions about the word, probe, thus  once the word is mentioned, it is understood to mean act of witch-hunt, victimization or punishment itself and many more negative meanings, both in denotation and connotation. What a gaffe! Even among the learned members of the fourth estate!

In the words of A.S.Hornby, probe is to ask questions in order to find out secret or hidden information about somebody or something. It also means a thorough and careful investigation of something.  However, tersely put, probe is an act of searching critically about something or somebody with a view to finding facts.

None of the above definitions is expressive of witch-hunting. Probe is a process which leads to a certain action; it may propel prosecution, jail, witch-hunt and other negative meanings and beliefs, in line with perceptions of some Nigerians, only on the condition that probe result turns bad; but where the result is clean and positive in the context it is applied, the accused person or thing goes free and unharmed! Clear conscience fears no accusation! Only those whose hands are bloody fear probe and war on corruption. President Muhammadu Buhari should not only probe past mismanagement of the economy, but also declare total, but unpretentious war on corruption in all ramifications.

Unfortunately, fighting corruption, the Nigerian style, since the advent of democracy in 1999, has invariably been lopsided and selective. Perceived opponents to the person fighting corruption have often been the targets. Once you run parallel political enterprise to the individual at the top, corruption allegations become the desideratum to weaken your tentacle. The objective of such calculated allegation, in the past, is not only to cast aspersion on the victim, but also whittle down political popularity and any possible covert intention to rise to stardom in the polity. The Olusegun Obasanjo war on corruption conundrum between 1999 and 2007 is still fresh in the minds of many Nigerians. During the eras, according to some analysts, war on corruption was declared mostly against seeming political opponents. 



Few episodes can be cited to support my claim.  The former governor of Rivers state, Mr. Peter Odili, former governor of Delta state, James Ibori, former governor of Plateau state, Joshua Dariye, former governor of Bayelsa state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, were all charged for corruption and harassed through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Their remote cases ranged from intentions to become president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, after chief Obasanjo to open supports for presidential hopefuls. But Nigerians were tricked to believe that corruption was the issue.

Today, it is President Muhammadu Buhari versus the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, through the instrument of Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). According to the 13-count charges against Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President made false asset declarations, while in office as the governor of Kwara state, between 2003 -2007 and currently as Senate President. Many opinions had queried why the CCT failed to prosecute Dr. Saraki during or after eight years of his tenure as governor. Others also expressed surprise on why Dr. Saraki was not arrested and made face the law, while serving as an ordinary member of the Nigerian Senate. Why now, that he is the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?  Where is ‘Immunity Clause’ which perhaps shielded Dr. Saraki as governor of Kwara state and ordinary Senator or has immunity clause been deleted from the constitution?

It may not be incorrect to say that the time of corruption war against Dr. Saraki is not belated but right at the wrong time. The Presidency and the Senate are at war, as a result of what could be described as, Dr. Saraki’s determination to institute an independent Senate, void of executive and external interferences. Unconfirmed report also said that the Presidency is not comfortable with Dr. Saraki sitting as Senate President, because he is partly of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Besides, the report alleged, the Presidency is afraid that Dr. Saraki may gain popularity and cross-carpet to the PDP soon, in order for him (Dr. Saraki) to realize a latent presidential aspiration in 2019. Cold war! Hence, fighting him now, through an anti-corruption watchdog, the CCT presumes a persecution, witch-hunt, and unwarranted political onslaught for political reasons.

For the record, this writer does not imply that Dr. Bukola Saraki and the aforementioned individual politicians are corruption-free and righteous. It should be voiced independently that there are many public officers past and present, especially former governors, who still enjoy their loots from national coffers comfortably.
To all of us, the so-called corrupt public officers relish their loots, because they use such stolen assets to support the power that be, hence they are saints in our eyes.

Fighting corruption, the Nigerian perspective, is a typical application of Marxist political theory, whereby 'non-conformists' are described as disgruntled elements. The process and manners of prosecuting corruption war in this clime are suggestive of pay-back or vindictive but not randomly approached. The unavoidable question has always been, ‘Who becomes the next target?’

Who should be probed for corruption? In my opinion, war on corruption should be all-inclusive, expansive and non-selective. Let it go both inward and outward in the APC’s camp, the PDP’s camp and others. The Buhari- led administration should be aware that the era of  military Decree is over, thus, like Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah opined, probe and its appurtenances should follow due process and on point of law. If corruption probe shows something or somebody going against or who had gone against the Nigerian state, regarding mismanagement of collective goods, like the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar stated, jail and witch-hunt should meted out and looted funds ploughed back into the national coffers.    

There is much noise about anti-graft agenda of the Buhari’s administration and probe. The media campaign about the anti-corruption plan, no doubt distracts physical democratic governance and management of other sectors of the economy. The Nigerian masses feel hoodwinked by incessant corruption fight on pages of national dailies and electronic media.  At this moment, Nigerians want less talk and more work. The state of Nigerian nation is the way it is today, because those entrusted to manage it do less for the nation and more for themselves. Previous efforts on anti-graft and probe were all fruitless and useless ventures; the popular Halliburton scandal, involving highly placed Nigerians, is a good example. Probe examines the past, makes corrections for the present and ensures a better future. Genuine probe opens the gate for genuine war on corruption. 

President Muhammadu Buhari has the political will to fight corruption.  But the war should follow democratic principles. It should be fair and non-discriminatory. War on corruption should not be aimed at intimidating or harassing political opponents, through the instruments of the Department of State Service (DSS), the EFCC, the CCT or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC)! There should be no police brutality or unauthorized invasion of private homes. Let probe and genuine war on corruption start now, after all PMB belongs to nobody.                    By Udeh, Kenneth
                                High Court of Justice, Awka
                                +2348034354001
                                [email protected]