By Richie Armani| 22 July 2015| 6:15am
It's a moment of sporadic thinking on the Nigerian political system and politicking. My Cogitation this day is based on the element of talks without act in Nigeria's politicians: these men/women have the 'potency' but lacks 'actuality'.
The question of "Why" comes in. Since the inception of the new government I have been reading of different probe plans of different segment of government including the probe of office holders and previous governmental MDAs. But none has been actualised, time is running, some persons should have been jailed, while some remanded in custody, and some investigated, but none of this is done; the concept of due process does not take forever.
Will the NNPC money varnish like that? Will the 'empty treasury' thieves go without being probed? What is delaying the process of probe in the oil & gas sector? I still buy car gas for 120 naira per liter in Ajah, Lagos, Why? Must USA come to our aid in probing ourselves again? Ain't we as a country old enough to do things without pro-colonial assistance? These are the unanswered question added to the Oshiomole's questions to the Finance Minister….this persons can't be more powerful than the rule of Law…. With due respect to Mr President (PMB) please start this probe and let see a physical refund of the stolen cash to better the all round life of the masses who pay Tax. This should not be another attempt at lip service.
Nevertheless, despite the fact that Nigerians deserve transparency and accountability in public life, it is apposite that the present author sound a note of warning to the political leadership class in this country as it borders on witch hunting. President Mohammadu Buhari should fulfil his promise of probe to previous public office holders. And in doing this, PMB should be reminded that Nigeria's political history traverse four epochs or what scholars refer to as republics: The first republic(1963-67), second republic(1979-84), third republic(1993) and fourth republic(1999-present). The variant challenges Nigeria face today as a political entity didn't begin with the fourth republic or better still the Goodluck Jonathan administration(2009-15).
To further put the debate into context, even though we were to confine the weaknesses of the present republic, then we would have to proceed beyond the Jonathan regime to the pre-Yar'Adua's administration. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo should have to be probed. There should be no sacred cows.
If I recall, it was in his stint as head of state for about 2 years that Buhari ousted a democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari on the premise of corruption. Shagari is still alive and some of the major players of that administration. The probe should extend to that era as well. Anything short of this, would compel Nigerians to believe that President Mohammad Buhari is engaging in a witch hunting spree against perceived enemies who stood against his presidential bids or otherwise.
Nigerians deserve a robust probe exercise. That is what we voted for. Every public office holder including former presidents, senators, representatives, ministers of ministries, directors-general of government departments, executive-secretaries of agencies and other principal civil servants beginning from at least the second republic(1979-84) should be probed. This implies that the incumbent president would have to subject himself to the probing exercise. The constitution of the federal republic should be amended to allow for that.
But more importantly, the like of IBB, OBJ, BAT(the lion of bourdilon), TY Danjuma, Saraki, Atiku and the list continues on end) should grace the probe list. To concentrate the probe searchlight on Jonathan's administration majorly is to engage in nothing other than an official witch hunting exercise to the detriment of the tax payer. I am still cogitating…
