“I believe the fight (against corruption) begins at the top.” - Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski
In 1984, the celebrated Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe in his book,
The Trouble With Nigeria said “Keeping an average Nigerian from being
corrupt is like keeping a goat from eating yam.” That was 1984. Today,
corruption in Nigeria has deepened and widened.
President Muhammadu Buhari was overwhelmingly elected on his
anti-corruption mission to save Nigeria from being killed by corruption.
He came to office 16 months ago with a pledge of fighting corruption.
But paying bribes to police and bureaucrats remains routine for ordinary
Nigerians. Corruption continues to slide out of control.
President Buhari insists he's battling graft, but there is a complete
disconnect between what he says and action he takes in fighting
corruption especially when it involves his kinsmen who are his top
aides. The atmosphere in which the president's men engage in corruption
is on a grand destructive scale.
The government that prides itself on “change” has become a government
of corruption, collusion, and nepotism. Corruption continues to make
daily headlines in the Nigerian media as well as on the social media
which attracts heated debates and fierce discussions. With entrenched
corruption, Nigeria is being run and will continue to be run in the
foreseeable future on accepted political, judicial, and corporate
corruption.
President Buhari has become the apex of national political and
economic system resembling the patrimonial power of traditional rulers
in the pre-colonial past. Take a look at members of his intelligence and
judicial apparatus: Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, the
Army Chief of Staff Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Attorney General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami, the Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman
Danladi Umar, the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris, Director
General of the State Security Service (SSS), Ibrahim Magu EFCC
Chairman, Lawal Musa Daura, and the President's 4 or 5-member
Daura-Katshina Kitchen Cabinet.
Corruption is primarily responsible for failed presidencies in
Nigeria. The Jonathan administration – the immediate past presidency –
sets an all-time high record in corruption. We've never gotten the
prosecutorial aspect of corruption right in Nigeria. Corruption cases
appear to outnumber successful prosecutions. Nigerian governments have
never been as persistent or successful in prosecuting corruption.
Justice has never been served. Grand corruption remains a big problem in
Nigeria. Corruption affects all levels of the Nigerian state.
Whether on the street or in the courts of justice, our governments
have never confronted corruption in a deliberate manner. If the names of
the corrupt were recognized and immortalized, Nigeria's exhibition hall
would be packed with fresh catches. Though our Constitution prescribes
criminal penalties for corrupt elected and appointed public officials.
However, our governments doesn't always implement the law effectively
which is why our politicians and public officials relish in corruption
with impunity.
Nigeria's corruption scandals are as numerous as they are noxious.
The latest high profile corruption involves one of the top Aso Rock
aides Abba Kyari the Chief of Staff to the President. October 20, 2015,
the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had imposed a fine of N1.04
trillion on MTN the mobile telephone giant for violations of the NCC
regulations for registration of telephone subscribers. MTN was accused
of failing to disconnect 5.1 million improperly registered telephone
lines within the prescribed deadline. The fine was later reduced by 25
per cent or N780 billion. MTN later took NCC to court against the manner
the fine was imposed describing it as “not in accordance with the NCC's
powers under the Nigerian Communications Act.” However, in February
2016, MTN withdrew the case against NCC.
September 20, 2016, SaharaReporters reports that Abba Kyari Chief of
staff to President Muhammadu Buhari took N500 million to help MTN reduce
fine.“President Muhammad Buhari has received concrete evidence that his
Chief of Staff (CoS), Abba Kyari, took N500 million from operators of
MTN to help the communications giant mitigate the fine imposed by the
federal government...” reports SaharaReporters. “Sources say the
evidence,” SaharaReporters further reports, “was presented to President
Buhari several times including during the Sallah holiday.”
Kyari is flamboyantly corrupt in ways that run to the very core of
his identity and prospective position as one of the top president's men.
With the allegation of the MTN bribe, he's already waist-deep in
stench. Kyari now wears the dirty crown of cash-for-access. Kyari's
corruption is so outrageous, so brazen, so breathtaking in its scope and
character. His schemes to personally enrich himself, enrich his
cronies, and use the power of his office to further his nefarious
designs are unprecedented of a Chief of Staff to a President. He took
money from Jide Omokore, a con businessman heavily influential and
actively involved in the corruption ridden oil sector during the
Jonathan years. When the opportunity of N500 million MTN bribe
presented itself, it was too tempting for him to pass up.
It's time Aso Rock ends its bunker mentality – won't talk, won't
listen, won't change. As usual, the President isn't talking. He's not
bothered. He's not moved. He doesn't give a damn! Mr. Buhari's continue
shielding of corrupt aides and members of his inner circle stinks of
rank cowardice and hypocrisy. His Chief of Army Staff General Yususf
Buratai was accused of using Nigerian Army funds to purchase homes in
Dubai. It was alleged that his Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdulrahman
Dambazau, bought home for millions of dollars in Boston, United States.
Several aides of the President and officials of his regime have been
exposed for their corrupt practices in illegal employment and forgery of
ages and certificates.
It's time for the President to clear the air on Kyari. The President
should come out and tell Nigerians what he knew, when he knew it, and
how he knew it. He must confirm or deny the allegation. He must take
corrective action by firing Kyari TODAY and let him face the full wrath
of the law. Kyari and other accused top officials must be held
accountable for their actions. Kyari should be charged with using his
powerful position to amass fortune. If Mr. Buhari failed to take action
against these corrupt aides, then it means he's profited from the
ambiguity.
Mr. Buhari could borrow a leaf from the former South Korea President
Kim Young-Sam. Young-Sam became South Korea President in 1962. He used
his one-term presidency to clean South Korea of corruption. He arrested
his two predecessors – Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) and Chun Doo-hwan
(1980-1988). Roh was jailed 17 years and Chun was sentenced to life in
prison. President Young-Sam anti corruption crusade didn't spare his own
son. In 1997, Kim Hyon Chol, his son known as the “Crown Prince” was
indicted for bribery and tax evasion. He was jailed three years.
It should be conceded that the evidence against Kyari is explosively
damning. Mr. Buhari's political and personal relationship with Kyari
exposes the President to high radio active corruption contamination.
Failure to act on Kyari's case, the damage inflicted by Kyari affair on
Mr. Buhari's administration will kill his presidency. The wounds on Mr.
Buhari's moral standing around the world will not be fully healed.
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