Politicians panic as anti-graft war heightens

The heightened fight against corruption and the ongoing probe of some past government officials is causing ripples in the camps of both the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, as nobody knows who’s next on the firing block. OLUSESAN LAOYE reports

With the renewed anti-corruption fight by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, politicians and members of the two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are now jittery as they are not sure who will be the next target as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, intensifies the war.

President Buhari’s trip to the Unites States of America where he assured the world that he was very determined about his anti-corruption crusade and would not limit it to those in the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan alone, is already making those who had been in government in the past, especially in the ruling APC and the PDP to be jittery.

Buhari had specifically made it known in USA during his interview with CNN that there would be no sacred cows in his fight against corruption and that anybody found guilty of corruption, even in his political party the APC would be dealt with. This statement, it was leant is bothering the leaders of the APC who have started expressing fears that some of them could as well be investigated in the long run.

What is even bothering the PDP and the APC, especially the former governors is the clamp down on some of their colleagues by the EFCC. So far the commission has arrested former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido and his son, and the former Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako and his sons. Also the wives of the Senate President, Toyin Saraki and that of the former governor of Kebbi State, and daughter of the late President Yar’adua, Zainab Saidu Dakingari had been invited by the EFCC to come and explain the movement of cash traced to their accounts while their husbands were in power in Kawara and Kebbi States.

Mrs. Saraki is billed to report on Tuesday July 28, while Zainab who claimed that she was attending the Lesser Hajj is expected at the EFCC today to explain the alleged N2.5 billion money laundering perpetrated during her husband’s tenure.

These are not the only people now been questioned by EFCC, former President Jonathan’s special assistant on Schools and Agric, Baraka Sani  was at the EFCC’s office to explain how she spent several billions earmarked  for her office. Those whose EFCC’s search light would touch include former governors, ministers and commissioners in the states and those handling agencies that are known to be well funded by the federal government.

Already there were agitations that President Buhari should not limit his probe to only those who served in Jonathan’s government, but it should be extended to those who served in other political parties especially the APC.

What is actually bothering Nigerians now is the recent discovery by the Buhari’s government of the huge amount of money in oil theft and which proceeds are kept in different accounts abroad. This is why there is strong agitations that Jonathan be brought to account for the money allegedly missing during his tenure. Those also to be called to answer for the alleged misdeeds are the former ministers of finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former petroleum minister, Deziani Alison Madueke.

It will also be recalled that President Barack Obama, during Buhari’s visit had said that the U.S will help train Nigeria’s Judicial staff and prosecutors as part of efforts to tackle corruption in Nigeria. Also, the U.S. Attorney General, Luretta Lynch discussed the war against corruption with Buhari and promised that U.S. will now abide by the mutual legal assistance treaty signed in 1985 with Nigeria which came into effect in 2003.

Even the U.S. vice president told Buhari that if he wants to tackle corruption, he should ensure that only seasoned technocrats are appointed to manage key sectors of the Nigeria’s economy, in view of the huge amount of oil money and crude being stolen daily with profits going to private accounts. Buhari has said that he would ask that the accounts where the money is found to be frozen.

In his quest to fight corruption, Hallmark was reliably informed that Buhari is prepared to utilize five out of the hurriedly 46 passed bills by the 7th national assembly; despite the controversies that trailed the way those bills were passed. The bills which Hallmark learnt that would be used by the government to fight corruption are Office of the Ombudsman Bill, National Convicts and Criminal Record Bill, Electronics Transactions Bill of 2015, Whistle Blower Protection Bill of 2015 and the Nigerian International Financial Centre Bill of 2015. These bills it was said are being studied by the ministry of Justice, as part of the tools to help in the war against corruption.

With the probe fever now spreading in the country, opposition parties have come out to express their views about the ongoing anti-corruption crusade of the present APC government. The incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, had said that the way Buhari is going about the fight showed that he would be vindictive and accused him of carrying out selective probe. He said that his investigation should go round and that it was expected that he would use his own political party the APC as a start and an example, if he truly wants to fight corruption.

Other PDP chieftain who accused Buhari of selective prosecution are the PDP chairman in Rivers State, Mr. Felix Obuah, who said Buhari was not sincere with his anti-corruption crusade. He specifically pointed accusing fingers at the former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi,  saying that the commission of enquiry set up by the present government in Rivers State, indicted him and that with this, Buhari must probe him and not members of the PDP alone.

He said that Nigerians are not comfortable with the way Buhari has been wining and dining with those he alleged to be fraudlent politicians, saying that if the present government was not on a witch-hunt mission against PDP, it should do away with all the corrupt people around him.

Others who have reacted to the present battle against corruption include the former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) chairman, Olisa Agbakoba who said that fighting corruption was not easy and that in order for Buhari not to be accused of being partial, he must have the political will to fight corruption without discriminations.

He said this is the only way Nigerians would respect him and take him for his words. Also Professor Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba said that the present government of Buhari should include the education sectors in his fight against corruption and frontally attack it. He also asked him to pursue unity so that the current agitations would be eradicated.

The Metropolitan Catholic Arch Bishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyikan, said that the fight against corruption being pursued by the present government should be methodological to avoid humiliating Nigerians.  He also argued that Buhari’s government should handle the matter with care and caution. Another clergyman and former running mate to Buhari, Pastor Tunde Bakare argued that Mr. President should fight corruption from his circle and show that he meant business.

Bakare posited that the said change cannot be realized if the President is seen with those with questionable characters.  He said that it was unfortunate that Buhari who is a man of very high integrity now found himself in the midst of the present people around him, adding that if he can’t get the right people to work for him within two years, the country would be in trouble.

Also the Chaplain at the Presidential Villa during the tenure of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Rev. Williams Okoye pointed out that one of the ways to curtail corruption in the present government is for Buhari to cut down on the numbers of political appointees.

Hallmark gathered that already, the EEFCC would have a lot to do in the next few months as series of petitions have been forwarded to the commission. Hallmark was reliably informed that amongst the petitions which the EFCC received lately include, the allegations against the former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over the finances of the Lagos State government during and after his tenure. It was said that some Lagosians still want the allegations against him during the campaigns in the last general elections by the PDP revisited, despite the fact that the allegations are now subject of litigation.

The AIT had carried a documentary which allegedly exposed the wealth of the APC leader which it alleged he accrued while serving as the Lagos State governor between 1999 and 2007, and those he was said to have acquired while Babtunde Fashola was in office. Tinubu had gone to court to claim damages running into billions against the AIT and those who caused the documentary to be broadcast. Also indicted in the documentary is the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Fashola

Meanwhile Hallmark was informed that some of the issues currently being raised by those who petitioned the EFCC apart from that of the Lagos, Ekiti and Rivers State, included the investigation of the down steam oil sector, $20 billion audit report, $1.8 trillion SURE:P fund said to have been spent, the Femi Otedola and the Farouk Lawan $3m scam, $1.8 billion paid to London account  of Malabu Oil and gas by the last government. Others are the Stella Oduah bullet proof scandal and the 2012 Nuhu Ribbadu’s report on NNPC.

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina said that Buhari was serious about corruption fight. He pointed out that he became more determined when it was discovered that barrels of crude oil were being exported and the profit logged in private accounts. He argued that it was true that Buhari said while campaigning that he would not spend his time probing but the present situation has called for that, because of what he discovered now while in office. Adesina pointed out that no responsible government or leader would see that magnitude of fraud and would close his eyes to allow such things to go free without doing something about it.

Also the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwajaren confirmed that series of petitions have been sent to the commission and that some people are being interrogated. He said more people would soon be invited for interrogations.

The September date announced by Buhari to constitute his cabinet is already giving Nigerians concern as those who commented believed that the date was far from the reality. But Hallmark learnt that the President is taking his time in view of the latest development and series of petitions before the anti-graft agencies to select his team. It was gathered that Mr. President wants to study the situation so that he would not at the end of the day be accused of putting those who already have questions to answer in his cabinet.