Is Nigeria Losing Ground In The Fight Against Corruption? -By Isaac Asabor

Since Nigeria embraced the ongoing Democratic system of government in 1999, not few have heard side talks and witnessed allegations of mismanagement of public funds against most of the leaders; both in the past and in the present.  Thus people have been worried that the leaders do not have what it takes to manage public finance even as Journalists and other political watchers have kept asking the question at any given occasion: “Do you think politicians have what it takes to revive the ailing economy?

To a few optimistic Nigerians, the answer to the foregoing question is in the affirmative. However, to this writer, and not a few other Nigerians, the politicians do not have what it takes to revive the age-long ailing economy because most of them seem so entangled in the cesspool of corruption. Worse still, Nigerians have seen little change since 1999, with the same generation of leaders holding power through their control of the main political parties.

It will be unfair to hurriedly in this context castigate anyone that has no confidence in some of our leaders, particularly in the area of not having what it takes to manage public funds.   The reason for the foregoing cannot be farfetched as episodes of the plague of political impropriety involving taxpayers’ resources have been at the front and center stage since Nigeria embraced a democratic system of government in 1999, with back-to-back scandals paradoxically involving leaders that were once perceived to be the epitome of integrity.

It is astonishing to know that them achinery of democracy, which was kick-started by politicians 23 years ago chronologically shows that Nigeria has been embroiled in a series of corruption allegations involving politicians who were entrusted with portfolios that no doubt have direct bearings on the destinies of virtually all Nigerians. Surprisingly, most politicians that fall under the foregoing category, can still be seen aggressively campaigning for themselves or their cronies ahead of the oncoming general and presidential elections as they greedily eye higher political positions. 

Even while the country is still grappling with the prevalence of corruption, and pondering over how it can be brought to an end, breaking news after news that pertains to issues of corruption are by each passing day published on the pages of a plethora of newspapers and on virtual pages on online news platforms.

Just as the people are aware that unemployment, poverty, and misery are majorly caused by the mismanagement of public funds by some politicians, and also aware that Nigeria’s political system is very corrupt, and continuously acknowledge the fact, some of them paradoxically campaign in favor of such unscrupulous politicians as they deceptively packaged them to be angels, and ensure that they are elected or reelected to power. No thanks to the denigrating electioneering gobbledygook called “Stomach Infrastructure.”

It is also denigrating that International agencies such as Transparency International have never assessed Nigeria to be one of the most incorruptible countries in the world. Indeed, it is also correctly pointed out that the billions of dollars pocketed each year by politicians and state officials could have been used to address endemic social issues such as health, education and deficient social services, such as garbage collection and protecting the environment.

It is expedient to vow in this context that as the general and presidential elections that are scheduled to hold in February 2023 is fast approaching that this cannot be allowed to continue. The people must do something about it by ensuring that politicians with questionable past records are not voted for at the polls.

To my view, Nigerians have suffered enough from corruption that it is not a misnomer to say that we have gotten to the point where people should begin to act independently and do something about state corruption. The reason for the foregoing cannot be farfetched as constant agitation against corruption which has become a feature of our people’s movement no longer suffices.

At this juncture, it is expedient to note that Transparency International identifies several forms of corruption that cut across misappropriation of funds; abuse of power; deceit and fraud; perversion of justice; nepotism; cronyism; tax evasion; and, mismanagement of public resources which this piece specifically dwells on.

Again, it will be recalled that the increasing rate of corruption propelled the federal government to create the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003, partially in response to pressure from the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), which named Nigeria as one of 23 countries non-cooperative in the international community’s efforts to fight money laundering.

Under one of its past chairmen, Nuhu Ribadu, the agency addressed financial corruption by prosecuting and convicting a number of high-profile corrupt individuals, ranging from Nigeria’s former chief law enforcement officer to several bank chief executives. By 2005, the EFCC arrested government officials including, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

In September 2006, the EFCC had 31 of Nigeria’s 36 state governors under investigation for corruption. In December 2007, the Nigerian Federal Government, after extensive investigations by EFCC and other organizations, cleared the Vaswani brothers of any wrongdoing and invited them back into the country. In April 2008, the EFCC began an investigation of the very influential daughter of a former Nigerian President, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello for receiving N10 million ($100,000), stolen from the Ministry of Health.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is becoming obvious that trials of high-profile corrupt individuals are no more commonplace. Rather, high-profile corrupt individuals are often left off the hook. Expectedly, the seeming miscarriages of justice have not gone down well with the leadership of the EFFC as it is often seen to appeal against such judgments. 

Analyzed from another perspective, EFCC as a commission has for the umpteenth time adjudged most pronouncements made by Courts on Suspects to amount to clogs on the wheels of its operations in the execution of its statutory duties. The commission has seen some judgments to be miscarriages of justice and considered them to be grossly inimical to the culture of a corrupt-free society that the Commission has been striving so hard to enthrone.

Unarguably to buttress the foregoing view, it is germane to say that the EFCC yesterday, November 18, 2022, announced its resolve to appeal the ruling of Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja, which dismissed the 10-count charge of corruption brought against a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal.

It will be recalled that Lawal,  his younger brother, Hamidu David Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar, and Apeh John Monday are being prosecuted by the  EFCC alongside two companies, Rholavision Engineering (fifth defendant) and Josmon Technologies (sixth defendant) on amended 10-count charge, bordering on fraud, diversion of funds and criminal conspiracy to the tune of over N544million.

Ruling on the no case submission made by the defendants, Justice Agbaza held that the Commission which presented 11 witnesses in the course of the trial, failed to establish the ingredients of the alleged offence. He held that the Commission did not establish that BabachirLawal was either a member of the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE) that awarded the contract or a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board that vetted and gave approval to the disputed contract.

But dissatisfied with the ruling, the EFCC has given indication that it will obtain a copy of the judgment for urgent review and challenge its validity at the appellate court.

Given the way and manner, in which corruption is been fought all this while, it is expedient to ask “Is Nigeria losing ground in the fight against corruption?”