By. Kassim Afegbua.
It gets to a point in a man’s life when his age affects his mental presence and ability to discriminate between good and bad. I am just wondering so on account of so many diminishing outcomes of a Buhari presidency that has embarked on self-destruct, using its own hands to attract bile unto itself. When President Buhari came on board as president of the Federal Republic, it was on the plank of anti-corruption, security and economy. The expectation was high, especially when he declared on May 29th, 2015 that he belongs to nobody and he was for everybody. Nigerians were expecting the famed “no-nonsense” General, who would chase bandits and insurgents outside the shores of Nigeria. The first six months showed the signs of things to come. President Buhari waited for six solid months before he could assemble his feeble team. The spice was taken off the saddle. So much had affected the psyche of the new administration that our economic wellbeing started showing signs of exhaustion and fatigue. The first economic recession easily came on board. The Buhari team had barely settled down. We all thought he was carefully studying the situation to enable him select a team that would fit his three-pronged agenda, chief of which was the anti-corruption crusade.
After one year of Buhari’s presidency, our corruption index rose higher by the Transparency International report on corrupt countries. Buhari’s publicists hollered, wondering how a government presided over by their own “mai gaskiya” could be such ridiculed by foreign agency. Second year, the corruption index got deeper, suggesting that corruption was becoming more endemic under a government that was poised to fight the menace. The visible signs were indicative that after all, the charge was merely an act of sloganeering, just to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses for election purposes. Under Buhari presidency, corruption has eaten deeper into the mainstream of our national consciousness. It has acquired a new status as the grand commander of the order of Nigeria. Corruption now sits elegantly at Council of state meeting, at Federal Executives Council meeting, at Economic Council meetings and such other meetings of government appointees. When corruption is tried, and sentences are pronounced, the presidency has the unfettered power to pardon the offenders, and make them to walk home free, and sin no more. When Adams Oshiomhole told a befuddled nation that anyone who defects to his party, the APC, his sins are forgiven, we thought it was another of those political gymnastics. But the reality today has confirmed the practice as APC’s article of faith.
Penultimate week, the president told Nigerians that the new APC national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who is standing trial for misappropriation N15b, has repented, ostensibly alerting the EFCC to handle Adamu’s trial with caution. Some of his Ministers and other appointees are persons that cannot pass any serious scrutiny, were the system positioned to do the right thing. A lot of them are standing trials for one offence or the other. Several others are EFCC candidates whose conducts in their previous engagements are subject of financial impropriety. But once the president has made his pronouncement, who can dare challenge him? In a country of corrupt elements, it is often difficult to derive courage and morality to challenge the system. It is a collegiate system that is whirling round the nation, enabled by those supposedly elected to heal the country of these ailments. Nigeria’s rating in the global index of corruption is abysmally disturbing and casts a slur on the so-called anti-corruption agenda of the Buhari-led Federal Government. When late Alameyeiseigha, the former Governor of Bayelsa State, was granted state pardon by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, Festus Keyamo and a couple of others, tore that administration to shreds, accusing it of indecent behaviour. Today, in a government they are actively engaged in, their silence and double standard posture has brought shame on their individual and collective personalities.
Now, the main plank of this discourse is the Dariye and Nyame’s state pardon. These two Nigerians were convicted by courts of competent jurisdictions, evidences were presented, arguments were proffered, before the courts delivered their respective judgments. The apex court gave the final verdict and sentence. By just a stroke of executive corruption, the two convicts have been set free by President Buhari’s Council of state, a decision that obviously undercuts the President’s anti-corruption crusade. It is a killer punch that will undoubtedly dlow down the crusade. Granting those two former state chief executives pardon, when several other Nigerians are rottening in jail for petty crimes and offences, is a counterproductive move that will forever haunt president Buhari and his legacy of cluelessness and double standard. One had thought that the two convicted persons would be allowed to run the full course of their sentence to serve as deterrence to other corrupt-minded persons who may not have been caught, but the action of the presidency is a self-inflicted malady that will linger for a long time to come. It further confirms the fears from some quarters that President Buhari is actually not fighting corruption holistically, it is just a smokescreen to rein in those who are not in the President’s good books. Corruption has grown in leaps and bounds under a government that is mouthing anti-corruption crusade. The only sector that presently works and alive to its responsibility is the Corruption Sector.
I saw corruption on the super highway, smiling at me and informing me of his new status. He wore a three piece suit, decked sartorially in Louis Vuiton shoes, walking majestically at the Aso Rock corridor. From there, he entered into the hallowed Chambers with flowing babariga, well starched and looking unstained and untainted. At the banking halls, corruption was at its elegant self, in well tailored suit, plus a matching tie to compliment his purity. In parastatals, corruption was sitting elegantly on swivelling chairs, waiting for the business of the day. Approval upon approval, corruption was appending signatures on so many contract papers. When I entered the 5-star hotels around the major cities in Nigeria, I saw corruption in well cultured and manicured rooms, spreading all his feet and arms around the bed, and waiting for the menu list. All the choice alcoholic drinks were salaaming themselves around corruption. He siphoned all the exotic drinks and had a good rest at the hotels. When I tried to peep outside the window, I saw corruption working majestically into the inner confines of the Police Headquarters. Nobody could arrest him even when he breached protocols. From the top hierarchy to the lowest rank and file officers, corruption was parading around, copiously walking before their very eyes, breaching protocol, yet he could not be arrested. When it got to the Army headquarters, Navy and Airforce, it received 21 gun salute, confirming its superiority and elegance. On sighting the pot-bellied officers both in the police and military, corruption was smiling as they all got smartly at alert, to welcome him. He commended their stomach size as a good representation of the corruption industry.
From traffic wardens to the police on the street collecting peanuts, to the big ogas in the offices, corruption dominates. He is being constantly celebrated through padding of budgets each appropriation year. Each time corruption commits offence, the president pardons him, citing age and health as the reason for such presidential pardon. From road safety, to VIO, from NNPC to all other subsidiaries, corruption is welcomed with majestic candour. You easily see corruption drinking oil on the High Sea, to reduce our production. You see him collaborating with bunkerers to undercut the system. From the Nigeria Ports Authority, to NIMASA, from the Ministeries to the Agencies, corruption is friend to all. He doesn’t harbour enmity with anyone. He belongs to all, and belongs to nobody. Each time he enters the Villa, he gets state pardon. He walks out of the Villa with ascending relish. He smiles at everyone, pat them at the back, sing choruses amongst his faithful, and beat loud drums to herald his exit and entry. Whenever he visits the ministry of works, oh, what he gets by way of attention, is double attention. Unexecuted contracts paid for abound. Corruption loves to wear roomy cap to hide the loot in this ministry. From one SUVs to another, corruption jumps down and enters another, to show his influence and affluence. Even bandits know how to welcome corruption. They collect ransom they never worked for. They kidnap people and subject them to inhuman torture, wait to collect ransom, and smoke their heads away without regret. At the motor park, corruption loves the noise of the operators and vehicle owners trying to undercut the system. In the mosques and churches, oh wow, corruption walks with run-way confidence, bouncing majestically. It is the reason why nobody can arrest corruption. It enjoys presidential pardon and patronage. All hail the Almighty corruption, President Buhari’s new fond miracle worker.
• Afegbua is a former Commissioner for Information, Edo State.