10-26-2017, 12:31 PM
It is no longer news that corruption is fighting back. Ironically, and rather curiously, its defendants are allegedly able to employ the services of those closest to the President to thwart his efforts at taming the beast. One remembers Goodluck Jonathan’s past claims that his own cabinet had been infiltrated by Boko Haram sponsors (he never clarified his statement) which points to the fact that virtually every Nigerian administration since independence has been infiltrated by nefarious individuals who fight progress, or any developments which are not personally beneficial to them, from within.
These “cabals”allegedly take advantage of their closeness to the President and ensure a “turn-by-turn” scenario which operates behind the scenes of Nigerian politics.
Maina
Unilateral prosecution
Meaning that no matter who is in power, the political elite which is unified in its desire (and ability) to plunder the nation’s resources always places its “boys” in key positions so as to ensure that business carries on as usual and that they are undisturbed by whatever the administration of the days’ plans might be.
We, the public, rather than calling for the unilateral prosecution of whoever is suspected of corruption, endorse factionalism (and therefore continue our own enslavement) by refusing to assess any information without viewing it through an ethno-religious or partisan lens, therefore ensuring that the politicians who benefit from this always find someone to defend their misdeeds, no matter how grave. To put it simply, President Muhammadu Buhari brought a knife to a gun fight. The political elite, many of whom benefit from the system he was elected to change, aren’t in support of his plans. As for Nigerians, many are too hungry and impoverished to realise where their interest truly lies.
One could ask, what came first, corruption and greed or poverty and unemployment? The former (corruption and greed) enables the latter (poverty and unemployment), while the latter reinforces the former. So one finds that Nigerians are still too complicit and accepting of corruption, all too willing to justify it, in a society where it doesn’t pay to be honest or hard working.
The latest scandal, involving Abdulrasheed Maina, the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms,who was reportedly readmitted into the civil service despite being wanted by the EFCC and INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organisation) due to his masterminding a N100 billion pension fraud scheme, is yet another example of the President apparently being betrayed if not by his inner circle, then by a system that protects its own.
How does a fugitive, a man who is wanted both in Nigeria and internationally, return to the country without some form of high level protection? How did Mr Maina sneak back into the country without alerting the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, or the Nigerian State Security Service, SSS? How could he have been so bold as to come back and not go into hiding but rather, return to the seat of power which he stands accused of defrauding, without some high level help? Who assisted him and why?
The President needs to make an example of those who covered for Mr.Maina and put an end to the impunity which has always characterised the handling of such scandals in Nigeria. Not doing so will prove Mr.Maina (and all those who are brazen enough to continuously exploit Nigeria unchallenged) right in their belief that this country belongs only to a few rather than to all. Who are these men and women who surround Buhari? Why do they systematically seem to act in ways which disparage him, destroy his reputation and why has he not got rid of them despite their insubordination and clear acts of sabotage?
These “cabals”allegedly take advantage of their closeness to the President and ensure a “turn-by-turn” scenario which operates behind the scenes of Nigerian politics.
Maina
Unilateral prosecution
Meaning that no matter who is in power, the political elite which is unified in its desire (and ability) to plunder the nation’s resources always places its “boys” in key positions so as to ensure that business carries on as usual and that they are undisturbed by whatever the administration of the days’ plans might be.
We, the public, rather than calling for the unilateral prosecution of whoever is suspected of corruption, endorse factionalism (and therefore continue our own enslavement) by refusing to assess any information without viewing it through an ethno-religious or partisan lens, therefore ensuring that the politicians who benefit from this always find someone to defend their misdeeds, no matter how grave. To put it simply, President Muhammadu Buhari brought a knife to a gun fight. The political elite, many of whom benefit from the system he was elected to change, aren’t in support of his plans. As for Nigerians, many are too hungry and impoverished to realise where their interest truly lies.
One could ask, what came first, corruption and greed or poverty and unemployment? The former (corruption and greed) enables the latter (poverty and unemployment), while the latter reinforces the former. So one finds that Nigerians are still too complicit and accepting of corruption, all too willing to justify it, in a society where it doesn’t pay to be honest or hard working.
The latest scandal, involving Abdulrasheed Maina, the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms,who was reportedly readmitted into the civil service despite being wanted by the EFCC and INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organisation) due to his masterminding a N100 billion pension fraud scheme, is yet another example of the President apparently being betrayed if not by his inner circle, then by a system that protects its own.
How does a fugitive, a man who is wanted both in Nigeria and internationally, return to the country without some form of high level protection? How did Mr Maina sneak back into the country without alerting the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, or the Nigerian State Security Service, SSS? How could he have been so bold as to come back and not go into hiding but rather, return to the seat of power which he stands accused of defrauding, without some high level help? Who assisted him and why?
The President needs to make an example of those who covered for Mr.Maina and put an end to the impunity which has always characterised the handling of such scandals in Nigeria. Not doing so will prove Mr.Maina (and all those who are brazen enough to continuously exploit Nigeria unchallenged) right in their belief that this country belongs only to a few rather than to all. Who are these men and women who surround Buhari? Why do they systematically seem to act in ways which disparage him, destroy his reputation and why has he not got rid of them despite their insubordination and clear acts of sabotage?