It is pertinent at this point to draw the attention of well-meaning Nigerians and indeed the international community to the gross impunity, selectivity and high handedness which have trailed the anti-corruption war of the APC government led by retired General Muhammadu Buhari in the last one year.
It is becoming evident with each passing day that the Buhari administration is using its much vaunted war against graft as a tool to decimate the camp of those who disagree with it on any issue and ensure that it remains politically relevant as another General election draws nearer.
An objective assessment of the corruption war so far shows a clear lack of sincerity, clear partisanship and apparent steam of vendetta exhibited in the way the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission cherry picks its targets depending mainly on whether they are in agreements or in opposition to the politics of the President.
Nigerians will recall that since the Buhari administration came on board a little over a year ago, the only known ‘friend’ of the President who had been arrested on charges of corruption was one Mr. Jaffar Issa who was picked by the EFCC early January on allegations that he received a hundred million Naira from the office of the National Security Adviser. A few days later, however, Mr. Issa was released from custody and has remained a free man till date.
While dozens of petitions have been written with documentary evidence of corrupt practices against at least two serving ministers of the Buhari administration (Dr Kayode Fayemi and Mr. Rotimi Amaechi), the EFCC has ignored calls for their investigation and prosecution. Well reported and documented allegations of corruption, influence peddling and nepotism in the recruitment into the CBN, FIRS and other federal agencies have equally been glossed over by the anti-graft agency.
A 50 billion dollar bribery allegation made against an energy company where persons close to the President are known to have some interests has also been left unattended for reasons well known to discerning members of the public.
While the EFCC is busy pursuing leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party ; throwing them into illegal detentions and subjecting them to humiliating media trials over campaign funds used in governorship and presidential elections, it has failed to beam its search on how the ruling APC hired private jets and International PR consultants, mobilized for rallies, sponsored TV and Newspaper advertorials and carried out other expenses running into trillions of Naira when it is on record that its Presidential candidate claimed he could not afford a sum of 27 million Naira to buy his nomination form in 2014!
If you must probe where Fayose and Omisore got their governorship campaign funds from, why not beam the same light on how Aregbesola, Oshiomhole and Fayemi funded theirs? Are their two different sets of laws and morality in the books of the Federal government as it pursues its agenda? Should the EFCC which is itself a product of the law turn against the law in the way it violates the constitution and court orders especially as it haunts Governor Ayo Fayose, Otunba Iyiola Omisore and other PDP leaders?
Nigerians will also recollect that a notable Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Ebun Adegboruwa, who had been vocal in his criticism of the one sided, ill-conceived corruption war of the Buhari administration was arrested and detained a few days after appearing on a Television show to demand that the Buhari administration follows due process of the law and adopt a less partisan approach in the corruption war.
It is pertinent to repeat that our party is willing to support any genuine efforts to stamp out the menace of corruption from our public life on the condition that such efforts are holistic and non-discriminatory. Nigeria is our common heritage and must be saved from the hemorrhage of looting of public funds under any guise and by any group of persons regardless of their political leanings.
What we reject is the present deceptive campaign which is an apparent political gimmick to hide the monumental failure of the APC government to positively affect the lives of the vast majority of Nigerians after more than one year in office.
We are convinced that what the Buhari administration seeks to do is to stifle dissenting voices and make political opposition weaker in order to have a smooth sail in the 2019 elections. This appears to be the only option for a party that has not and may not make any meaningful difference in the social-economic life of the citizens in the next three years. This is an option Nigerians must collectively reject in the interest of our dear Nation.
Hon. Soji Adagunodo
Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party
Osun State
