By Godwin Agba
This was one of the questions asked during the screening of the nominee from Rivers state RotimiChibuikeAmaechi. The question to me was still looking at the express clearance of the former governor of corruption charges as unsatisfactory by the senator in question. This is not the first time in the history of our great nation Nigeria that public officials were charged with misconduct for corrupt activities. Reports are all over our tabloids in Nigeria of serving senators and top government functionaries accused of using public funds to buy political support.
Amongst those convicted before were the late former governor of Bayelsa state chief Alamaeseya and a former Naval chief cum PDP elder statesman chief Olabode George. Investigations have found out that city officials had been bribed to allow contractors to use substandard concrete and violate safety rules.
The extent of the problem of corruption in Nigeria is breathtaking.
Recently the European commission Home affairs commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom was quoted as saying the political commitment to really root out corruption seems to be missing. Experts have confirmed that government corruption has deep roots.
It is not a surprise when the senators turned to students even though they were the ones asking the question while the seasoned orator from rivers state, a former student leader, a former governor Chief Rotimi Amaechi beaming with smiles was answering question with megalomaniac approach while they senators listen with rapt attention.
It is obvious that corruption reform would require fundamental changes in the way government does its business. Rotimi Amaechi explained that “those who know me can testify that I hate corruption”. He boldly pronounced that Buhari’s government is better than Jonathan’s. The APC campaign strategist had no apology to tender as all senators were held ransomed with none of them uttering a word. This was the man they shifted his screening twice. What were the surreptitious reasons for the delay after all if issues bothering on the N70 billion as charged in the commission was fallacy? This really is an endless question.
The nominee bragged that he was present with the report of the panel to buttress his point that he was not indicted in anyway. How he got the report is not a mystery. Are the senators against his candidature saying they were not aware that he was sacrosanct or to be succinct who is a saint devoid of issues relating to fraud in their different states. Just recently the former governor of kaduna state Balarebe Musa had insinuated that by now the President Buhari’s regime would have arrested well over twenty governors for corruption charges already.
Nobody had the effrontery to ask that the report of the panel in his possession be tendered in evidence. One begins to wonder why the pandemonium about his nomination and waste of time in the screening of the former governor.
Amaechi was right when he opined that corrupt public officials sometimes appropriate goods, take advantage of services to which they are not entitled, or even steal funds outright. They may also use their position to favor their friends and relatives unfairly which ultimately caused him the bugaboo with the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan as he explained while replying to one of the questions.
While corruption can exist in any human organization, it seems that corruption in government is the worst.
The global corruption barometer published recently by the transparency international reported Nigeria as one of the worst countries battling with corruption amongst its political class, the police, power sector, public officials, the legislatures and the judiciary. No segment as important as the ranking was left out.
So how would a system that has been ascribed as corrupt be able to screen an acclaimed corrupt nominee whose case has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the court of law? Knowing that human government are funded by their citizens most often through taxes and duties. This flow of monies tempt some officials to steal, while others accept bribes from individuals who want them to reduce their taxes or other payments due government.
A vicious cycle may result, the government raises taxes to make up for such losses, and this in turn foster more corruption. In this environment people who are honest may suffer the most. This explains why Rotimi Amaechi was deprived of his security paraphernalia for refusing to adhere to who” pays the piper dictates the tune” syndrome.
For the senators who appreciated Rotimi Amaechi amongst them the senate leader Senator Ndume, I believe he knew that the effort to eliminate corruption must start at the top. Governments lose credibility when they try to eradicate corruption among police or customs officials while tolerating it among high officials.
Who are those clamoring for change and those against it? if the histone was to fall on those who claim they are saints would there be any survivor? After all elections are held regularly, which in theory allow people to vote corrupt officials out of office. The reality though is that campaigns and elections are prone to corruption. By means of campaign contributions and other actions, the rich can unduly influence current and future office holders.
Such influence to my opinion threatens not only the legitimacy and quality of government but also the public’s faith. It is little wonder then that many people have the perception that political parties are the most corrupt of all institutions.
As we look forward to change we might think that enacting new laws could improve matters, more often than not increasing the number of laws just provides more opportunities for corruption. Additionally, legislation specifically intended to reduce corruption often cost much to implement yet accomplishes little.
Since the driving force behind corruption is greed and self-interest displayed by government officials and citizens, the drivers must teach its populace how to overcome entrenched motives of greed and selfishness which must begin in the hallowed chambers.
Agba wrote in from Abuja
