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The naming of so called PDP Looters is another dubious, unimaginative and deceptive attempt by the Buhari’s government to hoodwink Nigerians into thinking that a fight against corruption is taking place.
This is exactly the same way the government is fighting Fulani herdsmen- Miyetti Allah and Boko Haram terrorism, which has forced a once scion of the north, General T Y Danjuma to cry out that game keeper is the poacher.
If the Buhari’s government is honest with this orchestrated war against corruption, all the men whose names we have seen on the corruption list, should be in court fighting the charges against them.
Moreover, no serious country fights corruption by the president arrogating to himself the right to decide, who is charged with corruption and how long they are detained, irrespective of the decision of the courts.
No sincere and serious government decides, which corrupt politician is prosecuted on the basis of political party, ethnicity or religion.
In fact, nepotism and overt discrimination of the nature and degree we have witnessed under Buhari are some of the most serious corruptions that can befall a country. In Nigeria, the kettle calls the pot black and they have an argument about which is darker. The argument is not about who is honesty or dishonesty, but about who is bad or worse. This is the tragedy of Nigeria.
If Buhari is really an honest man, who is interested in fighting corruption as his supporters claim, he should look at how France, South Africa, South Korea, Brazil and Israel fight corruption.
He would copy their method and the institutional reforms which underpin their fight against corruption.
These are some of the countries with zero tolerance to corruption and they do not require the president to decided, who is locked up, prosecuted or given a ministerial appointment, irrespective of what they have done and, or how much they have stolen. They have constitutions which hold the leaders to account.
Today, Zuma is in court, Park Geunhye is heading to prison, Nicolas Sarkozy is awaiting Trial, Lulu is going to prison, Nathanyahu has been indicted and Ehud Omert is in prison.
If South Africa, South Korea, Brazil, France and Israel can hold their presidents and prime Ministers to account, why can’t Nigeria?
These countries are not all mono-ethnic nations. These are countries, which designed their democracies for accountability, outlaw discrimination and nepotism and, operate under the rule of law; by writing constitutions which hold leaders to account and protects the people from the government.
If it is in Nigeria, Nicolas Sarkozy would be attending National executive committee meetings and scheming to instal the next president. Benjamin Nathanyahu would be fighting for his son-in-law to succeed him, while planning to retire to the senate. Park Geunhye, would be travelling the world pretending to be a great leader, while EFCC harasses those who fronted for her and Lulu, would be in his farm enjoying the fruit of his crime or in his 50 rooms pace enjoying his loot.
The sad reality of Nigeria is that it was intentionally designed to enable leaders exercise power without accountability.
Institutions that are supposed to be independent and enable to discharge their statutory functions unhindered, were brought under the control of the executive.
In doing so, the religiously intolerant and ethnic minded military Juntas, who commissioned the obnoxious Nigerian constitution, undermined the very thing, which enables democracy to be effective, accountability.
They arrogated unaccountable despotic powers to the executive. Babangida, removed the ability of the civil service in Nigeria to check corruption by abolishing permanent secretaries and introduced Director generals, who are appointed by the executive. How can one hold the person who has power to sack one accountable?
Establishing Independent institutions is the first foundation in the fight against corruption. This singular act of Babangida destroyed the effectiveness of civil service and, over night, Nigeria’s civil service changed from a civil service which serves the nation, to a civil service which serves the government in power.
The same thing has been done to the army, police, universities and even the judiciary. The Nigerian army chief sometime ago declared that the army is loyal to Buhari. The Nigerian inspector general of police, refuses to arrest Fulani terrorists and their sponsors the Miyetti Allah.
To appoint the present Inspector general of police, Buhari had to retire many better qualified candidates because of their ethnic group or religion. Currently, northern Sunni Muslims are over represented as federal judges, which is why those who murder people of other ethnicity or non muslins are often set free by the courts presided over my judges from the north, who are Muslims. Remember the APO 6 and the beheading of Mrs Bridget Patience Agbaheme in Kano.
Therefore, Nigerians need to start by electing people, who can correctly diagnose the problem and are prepared to administer the recommended remedy.
A political party, which would run on making the institutional changes and reforms that are needed to enable our democracy to work, would be a good starting point.
The lesson from Nigeria is that ethnicity and religion should be removed from politics and that ethnic groups should be tasked to send only their best to serve the nation. No country deserves a president like Mohammadu Buhari.
The Nigeria government is a huge joke. Buhari has made Nigeria a laughing stalk. No developed country currently takes Nigerian government seriously.
They know that very little governance is taking place in Nigeria and the government is borrowing as if debts are not repaid. The Buhari led government is clueless to say the least. Very few people in important positions in Buhari’s government were appointed on merit.
The only qualification many of them have for the position they occupy is that they are muslins from the north or relatives of president Buhari.
Therefore, they are unable to discharge their statutory functions and only do what the president says or wants. No nation can make progress under such a sectarian minded and nepotistic government.?
In fact, Nigeria has been a rudderless dictatorship under Buhari and what should concern serious and honest democrats in Nigeria, is how to stop producing elected dictators and start electing governments, which can be held to account, by institutions and individuals.
This is another reason, why Nigeria needs to do away with the 1999, military constitution and get a constitution written by the people and for the people.
A constitution which protects the people from government tyranny of the type many are suffering under Buhari.
When Nigerians starts rejecting people like Buhari as president and care enough to join political parties and take part in how candidates are selected and then, actually register as voters and care to vote and make sure their votes are counted, things will begin to change. Seeking to secede from Nigeria is not the solution.
A government that would not tolerate sectarian minded and unprofessional police and army chiefs like the current ones under Buhari, who would stand by, while the citizens are subjected to pogrom by a terrorist group and seek to disarm law abiding citizens, while aiding terrorists because they share the same ethnicity and religion.
Buhari should please save Nigeria by helping to bring this circus to an end It is getting harder to watch.
By E O Eke
