Anti-Corruption War: Is Buhari winning?

Prior to the assumption of office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari gave the blueprint for his government. His campaign strategy was principally anchored on fight against corruption and the massive looting of the Nigeria’s wealth by political cabals.

As he moved from state to state, he told Nigerians that his government would not condone corruption but would confront it with the last drop of his blood.

And so it was as Buhari stepped into government, he again re-echoed to Nigerians that he is for everyone and for no one. His statement gave hope of a united fight for all Nigerians irrespective of the individual’s tribe or religious affiliation. Even his party bigwigs were agitated at the statement which threw them off balance as it was perceived that Buhari would confront anyone undermining whose ox is gored, all for the unity of Nigeria.

And as he stepped into office, he began a systematic war against the corruption he campaigned against. For one, his government stood on a promise made during electioneering campaigns.

This is very uncommon among Nigerian politicians, most of who make promises only to win the gullible minded and throw the promises into the trash can as soon as they emerge and clinch the seat of power. But this is not so with Buhari.

Buhari said, “corruption is a hydra-headed monster and a cankerworm that undermines the fabric of all societies. It does not differentiate between developed and developing countries. It constitutes a serious threat to good governance, rule of law, peace and security, as well as development programmes aimed at tackling poverty and economic backwardness,” hence it must be fought from all fronts.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Osinbajo did what?

Even the selection of his running mate, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, was said to be a result of the fact that Osibanjo shared in his view of hatred for corruption and looting.

Osibanjo himself told a gathering of Nigerians that one significant factor that brought two of them together was Buhari’s understanding of his view on corruption and ill-gotten wealth. He said his nomination to be vice president in 2014 was unexpected but his views on corruption played significant role in his teaming up with Buhari to make Nigeria a great country.

Osibanjo expressed optimism over Buhari’s single-minded fight against corruption and indiscipline in governance. He said Buhari fought a serious war against indiscipline in his days as military head of state.

According to him, for the first time, government held corrupt officers accountable.

But 30 years later, providence brought them together to pilot the affairs of a nation at the precipice of economic destruction occasioned by massive looting of the national patrimony by cabals in government.

He explained that in governance, corruption was always so outrageous that it made the majority poor and development impossible. Law and order was always a problem, usually no consequence for wrong-doing and the nation was drifting into the wrong direction with the rich and corrupt becoming richer while the poor and less privileged pining away.

‘’We recognized that our country needed a different set of values; a new way of doing business; an economy that is able to give opportunity to young people to work in their chosen professions and to build strong and profitable businesses. We knew that we had to provide social protection for the poorest and the most vulnerable.

“We recognized that innovation and change will be key, and that we must implement and not just talk about diversification of our economy. So we led our party’s campaign on that single, simple, but profound word, CHANGE! We have a country that is tired of corruption, tired of leadership without values, tired of an economy that is neither designed to accommodate enterprise, nor to create opportunity and wealth for the majority.

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“But in President Muhammadu Buhari, we have leadership and a leader that is prepared to challenge the rotten status quo, one who has said that he is prepared to kill corruption rather than letting it kill us as a nation,” Osibanjo stated.

Nigeria’s vice president  Yemi Osinbajo

And in less than three months into his government, Buhari began hailing perceived corrupt government officials into detention.

When the sleeping giant suddenly awakes

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which almost went moribund in the previous administrations woke up as if from a drunken slumber and began prosecuting, some with minimal trial while a chunk of others are hailed into EFCC cells without trial. Anyone who receives invitation from the anti-graft agency knows that he must be in detention whether guilty or not.

Among the many Nigerians who have been prosecuted for corruption are Sambo Dasuki, who is standing on trial for abusing his office as the National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and squandering $2.5billion meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian army to prosecute the war against Boko Haram insurgents in the North East of the country.

From the Dasuki trial, the Dasukigate scandal emerged, a coinage by the media to portray the gravity of the funds looted by Dasuki.

From the trial of Dasuki, others emerged. Alex Badeh, former chief of defense staff was quizzed by the EFCC over $930 million contracts he allegedly awarded as chief of defense staff. Under his leadership, Boko Haram dealt a severe blow to the Nigeria armed forces partly due to the superior firepower the terrorists possessed.

Security operatives whisking Dasuki away

Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of Africa Independent Television (AIT) followed with alleged money laundering to the tune of N2.1billion and breach of public procurement law.

Olisah Metuh, former Publicity Secretary of the PDP was arraigned for allegedly collecting N400m from the office of the Sambo Dasuki. Patrick Akpobolokemi, former Director General of the Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was also arraigned on charges of diverting N3.7billion into private pocket. He stood trial for diverting N37billion meant for the development of the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State.

Government Ekpemukpolo, aka Tompolo, has been on the run. He is wanted in connection with alleged N49.6billion fraud. He has been declared wanted by the EFCC for conspiracy and illegal diversion of N34 billion and N11.9 billion belonging to NIMASA.

His account has been frozen for dishonouring the invitation of the EFCC for questioning. Alison Madueke, former minister of petroleum, is also on the run. She has given various excuses as to why she is not in Nigeria. She was alleged to have stolen so much money when she held sway as minister of oil in Nigeria.

Steve Oronsaye, former federal head of service was also arraigned on a 24-count-charge of allegedly stealing, obtaining by false pretence, theft and money laundering to the tune of N1.9billion. He was charged with complicity in money laundry and contract scam.

Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of Pension Reform Task was also charged with alleged embezzlement, misappropriation and looting of police pension funds. Former Minister of Aviation and Director of Publicity of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, was also recently invited by the EFCC and eventually detained for alleged N800million campaign funds of the PDP.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola Robert, was recently arrested by the EFCC for $40million pipeline contract scam. The contract was said to have been awarded by the office of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

A total of more than 70 persons have, however, been quizzed by the EFCC in connection with the Dasukigate scandal. These are various persons the president has fought in his bid to stamp out corruption and instill fiscal discipline in the economic life of Nigerians.

Olisa Metuh and his lawyer at the federal high court.

Analysis and breakdown

In an interview with The Economy Magazine, Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, described corruption as a cankerworm that has paralysed the economic life of Nigeria.

He said members of the previous administrations turned the national treasury into a bazaar from where they traded and squandered every kobo in the national kitty. He said any one who finds fault with the current wave of anti-corruption war is an armed robber. According to him, the billions looted by members of the previous administration cannot be overlooked as every kobo must be accounted for by all concerned.

Sagay, who felt sad over the rate of corruption in Nigeria, said the menace has made Nigeria a retrogressive nation. “I feel a deep sense of sadness, we have been retrogressive.

“There is no doubt about that. I have observed Nigeria’s politics from the First republic. I was a young university student in the First republic. People like the Obafemi Awolowos, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewas, were men who maintained ethics, principles and integrity in governance. You cannot compare any subsequent government with the First republic politicians,” Sagay said.

Raymond Dokpesi stepping out of court during his trial

For him, the Awolowos and Balewas are angels compared to the succeeding administrations. He said the only pleasure they derived was to serve the people of the nation. They wanted power only to serve Nigerians.

“The question of material gain just didn’t occur to them. They had honour and integrity. They were stately people in the way they talked and carried themselves. Now all these are gone. Morality is gone. Ethics is gone. Integrity is gone. Even parliamentarian comportment and language are gone. I’m sorry, this era is controlled by riffraff. It is a degenerating process. The type of politicians we have now are from the dark ages,” he lamented.

He further said top military officers who were supposed to protect the country shared all the monies meant for acquiring weapons and paid billions of naira into accounts of their wives and children and sent their juniors to go and die in the battlefield without arms.

He said they would collect $30million for a helicopter and use $3million to buy a rickety helicopter and soldiers will die in the air. “I don’t think we have human beings now. The barbarians have taken over,” he said.

Sagay said the quality of politicians these days is less than zero, “otherwise how can you say that you are governing a country and then you become a company of rats eating all the resources of the country, sharing them among yourselves and not caring what would happen to your country,” he queried. For him, Buhari needed to be more combative in his corruption war against the mafias and bring them under subjection.

French ambassador to Nigeria, Dennis Guaer, also said President Buhari is now popular with his anti-corruption war. He said Buhari is a popular figure in the international community. “Buhari presented the fight against corruption as his main priority objective and I think it is probably the main reason why he was elected.

“It is also the reason why he has become immediately so popular also abroad within the international community. Everybody is thinking this president is really willing this time to confront the problem of corruption. I think Buhari is really trying and trying very hard; it appears to me as a historical effort to fight corruption,” the French ambassador said.

Political and economic analysts have unanimously adopted Buhari as the Africa’s preferred leader to lead a vigorous anti-corruption war to rid Africa of corruption. They are of the view that the present administration’s efforts at fighting corruption have earned Nigeria international respect and recognition.

They argued that corruption has been a major challenge militating against development in most countries of the world, undermining human rights, provision of basic amenities and good governance, among others.

Other analysts also viewed that the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by Buhari has been seen as a policy that could guarantee transparency and accountability in governance. To them, the policy would block several leakages for corruption, though it may slow down implementation of government policies and programmes.

Professor-Sagay

An economic analyst, Benjamin Ofoegbunam, said, “the implementation of TSA in my view is the best policy that will guarantee transparency and accountability in the country because by this, government ministries and agencies are made to remit their revenue to a single account. So, the era of a ministry or agency running several accounts leading to corruption is over because all government revenues are being remitted to a single account,’’ he said.

Are there corruption everywhere?

The Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, said the Federal Government recorded N3 trillion inflows to TSA in the first quarter of the year. He said as at the end of March 2016, total inflows into TSA was about N3 trillion, while the number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on TSA has risen to 976.

According to him, successful TSA implementation rests on a tripod, which includes the collection of MDAs receipts, payment by MDAs and their budgetary control.

But while the hullabaloo over the success of the Buhari’s anti-corruption war, other Nigerians, especially the civil society groups, have punctured a hole in Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.

Former petroleum minister, Alision Madueke

Members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) have said Buhari’s anti-corruption fight is one sided and hence he should extend it to all segments of the nation for it to gain acceptance by all Nigerians. Chairman of the Ogidi Branch of the NBA in Anambra State, Samuel Chukwukelu, said he is in full support of the war but it should be all encompassing.

“There is corruption everywhere, the entire system is corrupt and that is why I am fully in support of fighting corruption but our concern is that it should be fought holistically. It should not be lopsided; I know and still stand to defend it that the corruption President Muhammadu Buhari is fighting is lopsided,” he said. He said that President Buhari’s fight against corruption should start from previous administrations before former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Also, the rise of militancy in the Niger Delta cannot be divorced from the corruption war of the president. It was learnt in an interview with stakeholders in the Niger Delta that the agitation in the region was occasioned by the Buhari’s prosecution of personalities in the volatile region.

According to a community leader in the region, the militants are blowing the pipelines because Buhari is prosecuting their leader, Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, aka Tompolo. For him, Buhari must look beyond Tompolo and fight a holistic war, develop the region, then peace would return.

Niger Delta Avengers in the creeks

It was also gathered that Buhari’s anti-corruption fight is only against politicians who served in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

This is so because many Nigerians have called for the prosecution of Rotimi Amaechi, minister for transport, Babatunde Fashola, minister of Works, Power and Housing and some others who are serving in his government but he has tactically turned a blind eye to the pleas of Nigerians.

Also, there are allegations that Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff and Abdulrahman Dambazzau, minister for interior are being shielded by Buhari against prosecution because of their alleged closeness to the president.

Many have alleged that their names are supposed to be on the corruption list of Buhari but inside sources say Buhari had shielded them to avoid the unforeseen disaster which their prosecution may generate.

Buhari has been probing the 2015 PDP campaign funds but calls to probe the whereabouts of the APC campaign funds were turned down.

Many Nigerians have said Amaechi employed the money of Rivers State to campaign for Buhari but Buhari had failed to probe the source of the APC funds but continue hailing Nigerians who served in Jonathan’s government into EFCC cells and abandoning those who stole money to strengthen his campaign to win his presidency.

Almost all men who served in Jonathan’s government have been indicted for criminal offences but all APC members, Buhari sees them as saints and angels from glory.

Mixed feelings

Nigerians are therefore of the view that Buhari has set a precedent which may hunt the APC members for the generations yet unborn. Besides generations yet unborn, he has divided the nation into two by his actions, the North against the South and the South against the North.

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Again, many enemies have been made which may take donkey years to bring together and reconcile, even after the end of his government.

However, -t was expected that the money recovered from the corruption fight would be ploughed back to the economy to resuscitate the failing system but rather than raising the bar, the economy is plummeting on a daily basis. Hence, many Nigerians are now of the view that corruption should return so that life would be good for all.

Their call is not actually out of place because in the days of the previous administration, in the midst of the corruption, the economy was good and Nigerians were never in an economic mess as this. The naira never fell the way it has fallen to the dollar in the nation.

Most states in the nation are struggling to pay salaries to workers. Many are owing workers months without payment and hunger has continued to deal deadly blows on civil servants who rely entirely on government salaries for their means of livelihood.

Most local government workers in many states are being owed over seven months’ salaries by their local government administrators. But this was not so in the days of Jonathan when the perceived corruption held sway.

However, many have expressed optimism that the pains of Nigerians will be temporal. This is so because after the corruption war the economy will bounce back to give life to the failing economy so that the living condition of Nigerians will improve.

But when will this be, is it when Nigerians have died out of hunger or when many parents have withdrawn their children from school for lack of money to pay school fees? Nigerians are waiting for the miracle Buhari will do. But one thing is certain, for Buhari to win the confidence of Nigerians in his corruption fight, it must be holistic, away from tribe, religion and party affiliations.

Stolen funds

Nigerians are calling for the release of the recovered funds by the federal government. As reported that many of the stolen funds have been returned quietly by those who took them.

There are agitations demanding for the names of the looters who returned the monies they stole from the government. As President Buhari continues to fight corruption, some citizens faulted him for his failure to disclose the original  amount of money that have been recovered since he took over power from the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, last year May

Diezani Madueke was said to have returned some funds to the pocket of the federal government among some other whose gesture was to save their faces from public disgrace as many guilty citizens are treading carefully in the conduct of their public life.

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