Perhaps the most important singular event that gladdened the despondent hearts of many Nigerians in recent times was the all-out war against corruption waged by the change-bearing government of the All Progressive Congress under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari. Right from the word go, President Buhari made good his promise by putting in motion elaborate process of dealing with corrupt government officials of the previous administration and vowed to reign in their counterparts in the succeeding governments. Although majority of Nigerians praised him publicly and enthusiastically, rallying round him to unequivocally support his commendable bid to tame, and subsequently slay corruption monster, the state governors were apathetic, either withholding their much-needed support or out rightly complacent and totally uninterested in President Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign.
Despite numerous appeals for investigations into the immoderations, atrocities and wicked acts of some former state governors, the incumbent governors turned deaf ears to all accusations labelled against their predecessors as if they were not the ones lamenting the poor state of the states’ economy bequeathed to them. While Present Buhari was busy making those accused of misappropriating public funds to vomit their loots and spoils, the sitting governors were apparently treating their predecessors with kid gloves, oblivious of the grim economic realities that stares them adversely in the face.
They had proffered to accost the President, cap in hand, begging for continuous bailout funds rather than confront those they have accused of looting their treasuries with a view to settle up the plundered funds.
However, the recent agreement between the federal and state governments to implement a mutual agreement on Fiscal Sustainability Plan, FSP to fight corruption jointly, has really underscored President Buhari’s unbridled ambition to rid all governments in Nigeria of corruption bugs that bogs down the economy.
Now, it is pleasing to realise that the Buhari administration is frantically trying to redefine the relationship of the federal and state governments by introducing reforms in all facets of governance to curtail corrupt practices in the country’s ecosystem. It appears President Buhari was not quite satisfied with his modest achievements in his determined fight against corruption for which he was getting justifiable accolades; he has been patiently waiting on the reluctant state governors to toe his line so that the anti-corruption war could be aggressively prosecuted simultaneously.
That explains why he is constantly being prodded by unsympathetic critics that compound the situation.
From the very beginning, President Buhari discovered that about twenty-seven states were neck-deep in financial crisis and were totally unable to pay the salaries of their respective civil servants. Considering that grave situation as national emergency, he quickly swung into action by assisting the distressed governors with handsome loans to hurriedly and unceremoniously get out of the unpleasant situations they have found or boxed themselves into.
Reports that accompanied the utilisation of the bailout funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria were uninspiring due to the extravagance of the governors which resulted in another accumulation of salary arrears. That forced them once again to seek urgent financial assistance from their benevolent mentor. He did not turn his back on them, obliging them with another ninety billion Naira loan to be granted after fulfilling some stringent condition. He then made it categorically clear that there will be no more free ride anymore, they have to look inwards and raise local revenue to cater for their pecuniary needs.
The stipulated conditionality for accessing the loans which only five states were able to meet was a tall order. But that being the case, it became absolutely necessary to be applied as a safeguard against corruption which may eventually cause the loan obtained to be fritted away on frivolous projects which will may ultimately never be beneficial to the people. This is because tackling corruption in Nigeria is indeed an uphill task but not an insurmountable one for that matter.
The solemn agreement between the federal and state governments over the Fiscal Sustainability Plan, FSP is the desired remedy for the malfeasance of the governors which has given vent for the masses’ tendency to expect the best in the unrelenting fight against corruption.
With the federal and state governments embarking on a very comprehensive strategy to counter corruption in all its ramifications, it is expected that the new arrangement will compel the adamant and disinterested state governors to partake actively in the campaign to remove all corrupt tendencies from our ways of life.
That readily defines the essence of co-operation with the state governments to launch an effective offensive against the cankerworm of corruption in order to ensure that the polity is thoroughly cleansed, The net effect of the sustained federal government’s anti-corruption struggle may take a while before creating the required impact on the states, in view of how the situation had worsened in the past. This is more so due to the citizens’ lukewarm attitude toward fighting sleaze and, unless and until the state governments have shown remarkable zeal and concern to take corruption head on, people will remain aloof and will hardly rally round them to give them solid support to succeed.
