EFCC AS AN IMPARTIAL OPERATOR
That the fear of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is the beginning of wisdom for many former state governors is an understatement. What remains to be seen is the extent to which the crime buster can go in its efforts to bringing these former state executives to book. Also, for the commission to be seen as been an impartial operator, and not selective, its tentacles ought to be extended to other public office holders including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar. What Nigerians are looking forward to is a situation where all looters of the treasury are cornered and make to face the full wrath of the law without any prejudice or trace of malice on the part of the officers assigned to the tasks.
As it is now, the main criticism against the body is the somewhat selective nature at which arrests were, and are still made, and this has greatly affected the rating of the commission in the estimation of Nigerians. It is against this backdrop that one is compelled to begin to wonder whether the EFCC can go all the way to the very top in its quest towards ensuring that the evil that men do live with them. This can only be achieved if there exist the will and ability to check on all irrespective of whose ox is gored.
Suffice to say that the present concentration on the governors’ activities in the last four years (2003-2007) is not adequate for a thorough cleansing of the system, it is expected that, the exercise could do well by going farther back to the inception of the Obasanjo administration in 1999. Nothing can be lost if Nigerians are made to know what happened to the treasuries in the states as entrusted in the hands of these former chief executives. Also, former ministers and other public office holders should be made to answer relevant questions about their stewardship during their tenure.
Several questions come up for answers since the EFCC began its present onslaught after a noticeable lull towards the end of Obasanjo’s second term. The number of ex-governors that have so far been arraigned in court is short of people’s expectation. Even though, all the governors could not be brought to justice at the same time, it is expected that, at least their names could have been released for the public to know how many of them are indicted, and due for prosecution.
The EFCC had earlier informed Nigerians about the plea bargaining in which some governors have agreed to surrender some money and property to the government in exchange for freedom. This privilege, which is in accordance with the EFCC Act, ought to be extended to every governor in the spirit of fairness and leveling of the playing field.
Anything short of this potentially sends a signal to observers about the one-sided and partial tendencies on the part of the commission.
The accusation by opponents that Obasanjo used the commission’s chairman, Nuhu Ribadu to settle political scores should be denounced through the activities of the body. And this can be achieved if the commission is seen to be fair to all the individuals been tried. Situations where former executives are disgraced publicly do not augur well for the present exercise that supposedly serves as a corrective rather than a punitive measure. The commission’s ties with the government should be limited to the bond between them as stipulated by law.
It is a shame and a matter of grave concern that Nigeria is in its present position at this age and time. Corruption in corridors of power has become a thing of national embarrassment in which honest Nigerians are unwilling to come forward to serve their fatherland for fear of been smeared. The present government of President Umar Yar’Adua has the onerous task of ensuring that the era of transparency in governance is truly here, if Nigerians are to enjoy the dividend of democracy they deserve.
Femi Sobowale
July 30, 2007
