Buhari's accountability condones double standard
August 9 2015 By Abi Giwa
President Muhammed Buhari of Nigeria has said that the major work before him as a president is that of a Sheriff, to ensure justice against those who have stolen government money, But curious Nigerians have been questioning the way Buhari has been conducting or how he plans to conduct his policeman's job, by scrutinizing some former public officers and leaving others untouched.
Buhari had said he would problem former public office holders under the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and that it would be too much work to go all the way back to through the long journey of the country's life of seething corruption. It thus meant that even if former military leader, Sanni Abacha, is alive, he would have escaped Buhari's scrutiny, just like his counterparts like Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo and Abdulsalam .
Many among Buhari's supporters are supportive of the president's scrutiny policy, which some critical observers have described as a double standard. The president's critics said that will doom the president's talk about ensuring accountability in the country. Choruses of the members of the former ruling party being thieves have become the new government's mantra.
The government doesn't seem to be ready to listen to the words of wisdom from neutral Nigerians. On Saturday, newspapers reported the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo affirming and defending the government's decision to foist double standard at an occasion in Abeokuta, where all the big wigs of the new ruling party gathered to celebrate with one of among themselves, burying his mother. The VP said it is necessary to probe members of the immediate past government and leaving others to ensure accountability.
On the same Saturday, newspapers reported Former President Olusegun Obasanjo's impromptu visit to President's Buhari's resident. On Sunday, another report emerged about former President Jonathan's visit in the night prior to Obasanjo's visit. The report said nothing was disclosed about the discussion between Buhari and Jonathan.
However, Obasanjo was reported to have told Buhari, according to the PUNCH newspapers, for Buhari to ensure that all funds stolen under the Jonathan administration were recovered, in order to strengthen the President’s anti-corruption image in the international community. But some people who have read the news report have asked whether Obasanjo did not tell Buhari himself should also be probed to make the international community respect Buhari's government.
Questions are being asked about where Obasanjo got the fund for the building of his new mansion in Abeojuta. The same question has been asked by Nigerians for several years about where Babangida got the money for the top hill mansion in Minna. Just as discussion about how these former military leaders got the money that have made them living like Kings after leaving office, another news emerged about a personal website for the former Lagos Governor, Fashola, which cost the state about N78 million.
A day earlier, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, had told Buhari that his war against corruption has become more of words than action. He said it would be more appropriate for Buhari to begin his probe from the states belonging to his own party, where state governors spent tax payers money to fund his campaign, and thereby running most of the states near bankruptcy.
Jonathan has not said his administration is above scrutiny, but he said such probe should be fair and be made to cover all governments before him to avoid accusation of witch hunt. Of course, most Nigerians are aware that Nigerians is a seething pot of corruption, which has been elevated to near culture. They also know that most of the ruling party guys, who have been accusing the former ruling party members of corruption cannot claim to be above board.
Other than playing the Sheriff, Buhari doesn't seem be to be ready to work toward fulfillment of his campaign promises or any other program he can be remembered for. He maintains that his scrutiny has no double standard against all that is manifest to the public, and that he is not involved about who to scrutinize, because that is his Precinct officers' work.
Buhari had said he would problem former public office holders under the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and that it would be too much work to go all the way back to through the long journey of the country's life of seething corruption. It thus meant that even if former military leader, Sanni Abacha, is alive, he would have escaped Buhari's scrutiny, just like his counterparts like Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo and Abdulsalam .
Many among Buhari's supporters are supportive of the president's scrutiny policy, which some critical observers have described as a double standard. The president's critics said that will doom the president's talk about ensuring accountability in the country. Choruses of the members of the former ruling party being thieves have become the new government's mantra.
The government doesn't seem to be ready to listen to the words of wisdom from neutral Nigerians. On Saturday, newspapers reported the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo affirming and defending the government's decision to foist double standard at an occasion in Abeokuta, where all the big wigs of the new ruling party gathered to celebrate with one of among themselves, burying his mother. The VP said it is necessary to probe members of the immediate past government and leaving others to ensure accountability.
On the same Saturday, newspapers reported Former President Olusegun Obasanjo's impromptu visit to President's Buhari's resident. On Sunday, another report emerged about former President Jonathan's visit in the night prior to Obasanjo's visit. The report said nothing was disclosed about the discussion between Buhari and Jonathan.
However, Obasanjo was reported to have told Buhari, according to the PUNCH newspapers, for Buhari to ensure that all funds stolen under the Jonathan administration were recovered, in order to strengthen the President’s anti-corruption image in the international community. But some people who have read the news report have asked whether Obasanjo did not tell Buhari himself should also be probed to make the international community respect Buhari's government.
Questions are being asked about where Obasanjo got the fund for the building of his new mansion in Abeojuta. The same question has been asked by Nigerians for several years about where Babangida got the money for the top hill mansion in Minna. Just as discussion about how these former military leaders got the money that have made them living like Kings after leaving office, another news emerged about a personal website for the former Lagos Governor, Fashola, which cost the state about N78 million.
A day earlier, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, had told Buhari that his war against corruption has become more of words than action. He said it would be more appropriate for Buhari to begin his probe from the states belonging to his own party, where state governors spent tax payers money to fund his campaign, and thereby running most of the states near bankruptcy.
Jonathan has not said his administration is above scrutiny, but he said such probe should be fair and be made to cover all governments before him to avoid accusation of witch hunt. Of course, most Nigerians are aware that Nigerians is a seething pot of corruption, which has been elevated to near culture. They also know that most of the ruling party guys, who have been accusing the former ruling party members of corruption cannot claim to be above board.
Other than playing the Sheriff, Buhari doesn't seem be to be ready to work toward fulfillment of his campaign promises or any other program he can be remembered for. He maintains that his scrutiny has no double standard against all that is manifest to the public, and that he is not involved about who to scrutinize, because that is his Precinct officers' work.
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