Nigeria’s war on corruption: Three years after -By Abba Dukawa

“If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us.” This was one of the opening lines that heralded President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration into office in 2015, shortly after defeating a sitting president. President Buhari, in his inaugural speech on May 29 same years said: ‘’I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.’’ These lines were applauded by all and sundry who raised hope among teeming Nigerians that the messiah has come to correct the ill.

As a Nigerian, one thing that I hate most is corruption in all its ramifications and always believes that the president would fight it effectively as he has always been preaching. Indeed, corruption must be seen as a cancer worm that has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation. To understand its level in the country, Nigerians are a living witness that in any address made by all serving and ex presidents, they claimed to fight against corruption. “We are committed to transparency and accountability.” But despite these promises from the leaders, still corruption has eaten deeply in the country. To understand how this cancer eaten deeply in our society Honouring transparency and accountability is no longer, and that the people doesn’t feel bad about it, because everybody else is doing it anyway. Those who choose not to do it are considered coward and becoming a laughing stock in the society.

Sometime a leader tends to rely much on past experience that seems useful, but in actual sense, it is dangerous for him. However, even the sworn enemies of the President believe that he is not corrupt, but the only accusing finger at him may be his “indecision.” And it is often said indecisiveness may be a death sentence for a leader. There are many leaders with good policies, but fail miserably due to their inaction and inactions they say open up doors for failure and at the same time keep leader shut. The more indecisive a leader is the more policies stagnate. On several occasions, President Buhari had reiterated that he would fight just and total war on corruption without selective approach, but the corruption is like skirmishing him back in the last three years. In spite of the president’s good intention toward the country, but due to what can be called as indecisive action on many issues that ordinary Nigerians were expected to see him acting like what he did when he was a military Head of State, but such inaction cost the nation the very best of his good intention towards fighting the menace.

As we all seen PMB fighting corruption but more corruption were appeared; such appearing corruptions under the watching of Sai Baba even made Nigerians irritated with slow pace of fighting with choosy approached toward the fighting less than a year into office of the administration the test of administration readiness in fighting corruption were appear when the competent court of jurisdictions fined a South African Nigeria base Telecommunication giant MTN to paid Billion of dollars to government but some invisible cabal done what fit them at the expense to Nigerians and Nigeria government. In his nature Baba shielded them of any wrong doing and they scot free.

CBN secret recruitment, we the poor one that spends many hours in the pooling stations just to ensure, Baba have a second chance to shoot at the presidency, witnessing secrets upon secrets in every government employments takes CBN, NCC, SEC mentioned few where conducted secretly where only the children of well being Nigerians are given offers without due process being follow but Baba looks other way and not even order for the suspension of the employment but as of his nature looks other. Grass cutting scandal, when the issue of most expensive grass cutting and diversion of several trucks of food for IDPs in the ravaged North-East and awarded contracts runs several hundred million of naira to suspected companies linked to him and had corruptly benefited from contracts that arose from the Presidential Initiative for The North East by than Secretary to the Government of Federation Engr Babachir. Baba jumped out and making himself unofficial lawyer for Babachir and even cleared him of any wrongdoing. Until after out crying by Nigerians, PMB setup the investigation committee headed by vice president which the committee found him wanting but Baba looks other way until massive pressure mounting on him before acts on the committee reports. President Buhari sacked him but not surrendered him EFCC to put him on trial.

Another demoralizing scandal that rocks the nation is NIA safe keeping money apartment; Oke facilitated the agency’s acquisition of the swanky Ikoyi apartment where agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered more than $43 million in cash in the wake of the EFCC’s discovery of the funds President Buhari ordered that Mr. Oke be suspended. Mainagate reinstatement back into the nation civil service which involved AGF and CoS and $25billion contract awarded by NNPC while you were at sick bed in far away London without knowing acting president input. I am a staunch supporter of the president for good 16 years, but not a blindsided hailer and supporter. Straight from my heart, am not induced with the way the administration is conducting its war on corruption because the brawl is not moving so fast. notwithstanding with highly profiled corrupt Nigerians pending at various courts, only two were convicted presently with various prison terms those convicted are not among the administration’s most celebrated highly profiled corrupt cases like Defencegate, Dasukigate and PDP campaign funds, still three years into the administration, there were no any convictions of the alleged looters. The truest thing about the president is that he is not a thief, but the fact remains that leadership requires more than that as Nigerians need a leader in every sense, a leader who will be a rallying point for the whole nation not for few and a leader who also needs to inspire citizens to be at best. Still I believe that the president’s well known credential is being incorruptibility and honest as he has not been found wanting in any responsibilities assigned to him.

For the administration to achieves desirable goals there is need for the administration to have a clearing house for speedy prosecution of Corrupt Cases while faultless cooperation that is signally lacking today should be forged among EFCC, ICPC, POLICE DSS and Judiciary for sharing intelligent , information and prosecutions strengthening. There is need for the president to allow institutions that has a similar passion for the war and ignored all the sinister suggestion as a result of infighting for the supremacy between inter securities agencies and those that are sheep in the wolf skin within the government. Need for the administration to works with individual that had similar passion toward the war and other anti graft agencies whose intend to work and scheme a positive image for the war. There is need for reforming nation’s system of criminal justice this change will deal current reality on the war on corruption while the nation’s judiciary needs to be strengthened in line with administration derived war on corruption.

As a matter of fact, no matter how the Buharist and admires want the administration to success almost every day there is a stories that makes them shiver with the way the administration handling critical issue that has affected Nigerians. For President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve desirable goal there is need for him to ditch some of his inner aide and other members in his cabinet that wrapping their selfish interest above the administration interest. The action and conducts of this invisible cabal within the corridor of power are only projecting a negative image for his war at home and abroad. I know this blindsided supporter, hailers can insulted me and called me with all sort of things but in reality Nigerians are alienated, angry and fed up with the way the fighting corruption is being conducted by the administration as there is not much convince pointer supporting once fearful General Muhammadu Buhari achieving his war on corruption the fighting corruption proved too difficult for him to achieve and Nigerians are alienated, angry and fed up but in real sense the corruption fighting back.

Dukawa can reached at abuhanadee4@gmail.com