Abimbola – Page 5

October 9, 2015

Shock, disbelief greet Buhari’s ministerial nominees

By Abiodun Fanoro and Seye Olumide on October 8, 2015 1:01 am

OUTRIGHT shock, disbelief and measured mixed reactions from most Nigerians greeted the ministerial nominees the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki on Tuesday unveiled to the public, after he had received same from President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

Expectedly, the comments varied from people to people, depending on their background, their political affiliation and their professional callings.
Despite the obvious differences commentators were however united in the shock they expressed that the list fell short of the expectation of Nigerians in view of the un-common delay that the whole exercise was subjected to.

Prominent among dignitaries that commented on the list were former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Ogun State former governor Chief Olusegu Osoba, former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, National Chairman, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Okey Nwosu, a Yoruba leader and Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

Others were, former Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Professor Oyelowo Oyewo, Vice Chancellor, Caleb University, Lagos, Professor Ayo Olukoju, a renowned scholar from the Pan-African University, Professor Emegvwo Biakolo, Executive Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leader (CACOL), Debo Adeniran and a chieftain of Yoruba Ronu, Akin Malaolu.

Musa said there is nothing spectacular in the list that justified the delay in the presentation to the national Assembly because there are no new names apart from those that have been working with him.

According to Musa, “Since the President has had the opportunity to relate directly with the civil servants in the last six months, he must be able to use that as an advantage to feel the pulse of what is happening in the ministries and therefore should know what instructions to give to his ministers when the cabinet is finally constituted.”

The former governor also noted that one important aspect that is missing on the list is that there is no sparkling name of someone, who could be used as Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
According to him, “For Buhari to really succeed in the fight against corruption he needs someone who could handle the Justice Ministry effectively.”

Speaking in the same vein with, Professor Biakolo noted with concern that the list is devoid of technocrats and players in the civil society group who owe allegiance to no political party or godfather who could constitute huddles on their ways to deliver.

In the view of Biakolo those President Buhari need to succeed and turn around the nose-dived economy are ministers that would be loyal to him 100 per cent and over, this category of appointees according to him are largely found among technocrats and civil society groups.

The scholar recalled that in other climes when they face monumental social and economic challenges as it is the case in the country now, politicians are restricted to decision making while technocrats are called upon to implement those decisions, adding that Nigeria cannot be different in this regard. In his submission he averred that the list contained expired and spent bullets

The University of Lagos Law teacher, Professor Oyewo however did not share the submission of his colleague from the Pan-African University, as he called for restrain and caution in condemning the nominees.
According to him most of them have track record of achievements, “Rotimi Amaechi is renowned for his principles on issues, he always stands up for what ever he believes in, even though it didn’t go down well with the power that be in his constituency, he boldly decided to pitch his tent with a northern presidential candidate who today is the president.”

IN a veiled reference to critics who claimed that the list is partisan as most of them are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyewo noted that there was nothing un-usual about that because they were party loyalists who worked tirelessly for the party to wrestle power from the People’s Democratic Party ((PDP).

The lawyer and law teacher said that the allegation of corruption being leveled against some of the nominees, especially former governors Babatunde Fashola and Rotimi Amaechi may just being whipped up and orchestrated to prevent their confirmation by the Senate. He however said this might not work, as there is a Supreme Court ruling that allegation that is not substantiated could not be used to disqualify any one from being appointed to an office.

Chief blamed the disappointment that greeted the nominees on the APC and the President’s media aides who he said engaged in a lot of propaganda and politicking each time people criticized the delay in the past, only to vainly assure Nigerians that Buhari was coming with a super list of nominees.

According to him there is nothing super and un-usual about the list, just as he expressed his confidence in the ability of the nominees to deliver, stressing that “we have seen their performances in the past, I have no doubt that they would perform.”

The ADC chairman urged Buhari to submit the remaining list of nominees without further delay and that he should stop playing politics with the release of the remaining nominees, adding that politicking is over.

On his part, Chief Segun Osoba said people are merely blaming the president for the delay because they do not understand the party intrigues involve in picking political appointees “otherwise we all would appreciate President Buhari for coming out with such a list.”

He said the president couldn’t on his own make appointment without giving cognizance to those interested parties around him. That is party politics because a tree cannot make a forest.

Chief Adebanjo said there is nothing dramatic about the nominees “it does not justify the six months delay after he was elected into office.”
Adebanjo said the names; unfortunately does not signifiy the change the APC has been shouting. “One would have expected something more sparkling than what he released because these are the same set of people that have been moving along with him before, during and after the election. We know them, so what is the reason for the delay in the first instance, it shows there is serious problem before he could arrive at those names and for that reason I do not see anything changing.”

According to Adebanjo, “What is expected of a man like Buhari who has held several public offices including that of the Head of State in the past and also contested four time before emerging as president is to have known what to do instead of the unnecessary delay, which kept the entire nation in suspense and at the end of the day look at what he is bringing out? Worst still the list of ministerial nominees is not complete yet.”

On the skepticisms that some of the names on the list are not detached from corruption, Adebanjo noted in affirmative, “the whole cry about fight against graft is gradually wearing out. He started well but some of the names on the list have some critical issues to resolve before the anti graft bodies. I think the list has dampened peoples’ enthusiasm about the government.”

Former Minister of Transport and a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Ebenezer Babatope said the list has not shown anything difference at all “it is indeed more questionable than what we used to have in the past.”

While he refrained from making full comment, until the president has presented the whole list, Babatope said it “is baffling President Buhari will come out with such list after six months. It shows there is a serious problem within their fold.”
Prof. Ayo Olukoju said the important thing is that the list is finally out.
According to him, “One must put into cognizance the fact that there would be many interest to serve before Mr. President could arrive at those names but what should be of utmost concern to Nigerians is the background of the people appointed and the intrigues or delay surrounding their nominations.
“If Mr. President felt that those are the people he can work with he should be given the benefit of doubt but if we continue to stress the matter to whether any of them has corruption issues before the anti graft agencies such must and cannot be based on assumption until a competent court of law declares the person guilty of the charges or not.”

admonished Nigerians on the need to exercise patience with President Buhari over the list of nominees.
Secretary general Yoruba Ronu, Mr. Akin Malaolu said apart from the fact that Nigerians are not amused with the time it took our President to make-up his mind on who and who he intends to work with, Nigerians are equally not too fascinated with those individuals on the list. These names have provoked popular debates virtually in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

He said, “Rightly or wrongly, some of the nominees are coming with toxic baggage while very few are in the category of what we can call ‘Good men’.
He alleged that Fashola and Fayemi have serious financial allegations against their person and it wouldn’t augur well to have those allegations ignored by the president. “Ngige became governor through a stolen mandate that was later revoked and Peter Obi was given his dues.”

He said the president has added more burdens on his government “with his very extravagant nominees who are not only pompous but also rancorous in habits. Nigerians should accept Mr. President’s nominees at this stage and await with clear-sightedness the results. I cannot but fold my arms and pray fervently for the intervention of commonsense from this time forth.”

CACOL, while reacting to the ministerial nominees described the long wait that heralded the release as basically unwarranted.
The Coalition’s Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran in a statement expressed utter disappointment over most of the names making the list. “By the way, where lies the change Mr. President and the APC have been promising Nigerians all this while if appointment into his cabinet is still the same old style of ‘settling the boys’, regardless of whether or not such appointment enjoys any merit.”

Mr. President had kept Nigerians on the edge for almost 4 months of waiting anxiously to welcome the super technocrats that would steer the ship of change in our polity but what have we now seen? The same old wine in a new bottle.

CACOL is of the opinion that Nigerians wouldn’t have been too bothered over the list as they would have simply taken it as the usual fashion typical of the average Nigerian politician but for the mere fact that the president had consistently appeal to Nigerians for understanding and be patient with him as he embarked on the search mission for the qualified hands for the jobs.”

Given the president’s assurance overtime, the average right-thinker would have expected to see in the list, names of established technocrats in the roll-call of academics and professionals of repute and there is no disputing the fact that our nation has it in abundance, both within and outside these shores.

We make bold to say that Nigerians are not difficult to govern as some narrow minds are wont to posit, rather they appreciate good and result-oriented ideas whenever any leader comes up with one. Apart from the example of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose enviable legacy had ever remained a bench-mark in the annals of governance in the South-West geo-political zone of this country, the appointment of the erstwhile chairman of INEC in person of Professor Atahiru Jega by the Jonathan’s government, enjoyed popular commendation by the of Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country.”

The common question on the lips of the people today has been; why the long wait; why the anxiety and hope for change, since we are not going to witness anything outside the status quo? Some of the nominees, for instance, are too controversial for comfort:

On a final note, now that the long-awaited list is out, even though most Nigerians have their reservations based on their jettisoned expectations, we want to call on the Senate to do the needful and shun any consideration other than that of the overall interest of Nigeria and Nigerians, by doing a thorough screening and drilling on the nominees, and NOT the traditional ‘take a bow’ ceremony, as this, at the end of the day, remains the only way by which the hallowed chamber of law making could justify the confidence reposed in it by the people that elected them. The days of ‘just come and chop’ should be over; it should now be that of ‘come and work’.

Source: The Guardian

October 8, 2015

Buhari’s ministerial list was a huge letdown–Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)

News

Oct 8, 2015

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has described the long wait that heralded the release of the ministerial list of President Muhammadu Buhari as basically unwarranted.

The Coalition’s Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, expressed utter disappointment over most of the names which made the list.

He held that there really is no unique change at all portrayed in the list.

“By the way, where lies the change Mr. President and the APC have been promising Nigerians all this while if appointment into his cabinet is still the same old style of ‘settling the boys’, regardless of whether or not such appointment enjoys any merit?” Adeniran queried.

“Mr. President had kept Nigerians on the edge for almost four months of waiting anxiously to welcome the super-technocrats that would steer the ship of change in our polity but what have we now seen? The same old wine in a new bottle.”

According to Adeniran, CACOL is of the opinion that Nigerians would not have been too bothered over the list as they would have simply taken it as the usual fashion typical of the average Nigerian politician but for the mere fact that the President had consistently appealed to Nigerians for understanding and patience.

Given the President’s assurance overtime, “the average right-thinker would have expected to see in the list, names of established technocrats in the roll-call of academics and professionals of repute and there is no disputing the fact that our nation has it in abundance, both within and outside these shores,” Adeniran added.

“We make bold to say that Nigerians are not difficult to govern as some narrow minds are wont to posit, rather they appreciate good and result-oriented ideas whenever any leader comes up with one.

“Apart from the example of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose enviable legacy had ever remained a bench-mark in the annals of governance in the South-West geo-political zone of this country, the appointment of the erstwhile chairman of INEC in person of Professor Atahiru Jega by the Jonathan’s government, enjoyed popular commendation by the of Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country.”

He said the common question on the lips of the people today has been; why the long wait; why the anxiety and hope for change, since we are not going to witness anything outside the status quo?

Source: ekekeee.

October 8, 2015

Buhari’s Delayed Ministerial List Unnecessary, Says CACOL

Emmanuel Asiwe 07 October 2015

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has described the long wait that heralded the release of the ministerial list of President Muhammadu Buhari as basically unwarranted.

The Coalition’s Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, expressed utter disappointment over most of the names which made the list.

He held that there really is no unique change at all portrayed in the list.

October 8, 2015

CACOL ON BUHARI’S MINISTERIAL NOMINEES – UNWARRANTED LONG WAIT

PRESS STATEMENT

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders CACOL, while reacting to the list of ministerial nominees just submitted to the Senate, had described the long wait that heralded the release as basically unwarranted.

The Coalition’s Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, has expressed utter disappointment over most of the names making the list. “By the way, where lies the change Mr. President and the APC have been promising Nigerians all this while if appointment into his cabinet is still the same old style of ‘settling the boys’, regardless of whether or not such appointment enjoys any merit.” Mr. President had kept Nigerians on the edge for almost 4 months of waiting anxiously to welcome the super technocrats that would steer the ship of change in our polity but what have we now seen? The same old wine in a new bottle. Continue reading “CACOL ON BUHARI’S MINISTERIAL NOMINEES – UNWARRANTED LONG WAIT”

October 3, 2015

Attack on court becoming national tradition – CACOL

October 3, 2015 : Fisayo Falodi

Executive Chairman, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran

A group seeking a corrupt-free society, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, has decried the recent attack on the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta.

CACOL said it was disturbing that needless attack on litigants by overzealous and lawless politicians was gradually becoming a tradition in Nigeria.

Describing the attack on the Ogun State election petitions tribunal as a national embarrassment that tends to diminish the Nigerians as a people; CACOL urged the security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.In a statement on Friday, CACOL Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said it was saddening that no suspect had been arrested in connection with the attack three days after it occurred.

Adeniran said, “Attack is a national embarrassment that tends to diminish our value and dignity as a people. Such act of barbarism is only capable of debasing our sensibility as humans.

“Is ours turning into an animal kingdom where laws do not exist at all?

“Since the court is said to be the last hope of the common man in seeking justice, where else could the common man turn to when his last hope has been turned into a scene of jungle behaviour of all sort?”

He recalled that Nigerians were stunned not long ago when some group of political thugs invaded the premises of the High Court in Ado-Ekiti and beat up litigants, counsel and other court officials, including a judge whose official robe was torn to shreds.

Adeniran said to the best of his knowledge, the attackers were not invited for questioning, let alone arraigned for prosecution.

He said, “Because that show of national shame and embarrassment was allowed to go unaddressed, a precedent, so to say, has been set.”

Source: The Punch

October 2, 2015

Buhari Orders Probe of CBN, NNPC, FIRS, NCC, Customs

By Media Nigeria on October 1, 201

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a complete audit of all revenue generating agencies in the country as a clean up measure and to make them more efficient.

Top on the list of the agencies are the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Customs Service.

MN had exclusively reported how former President Goodluck Jonathan had authorized the withdrawal of N67.2billion in cash from the Central Bank of Nigeria in the build up to the 2015 general elections.

The amount were said to have been carted away from the bank in bullion vans.

At his first Independence Day nationwide broadcast on Thursday, the President said the probe of the revenue generating agencies, including the CBN, became necessary following noticeable widespread corruption in the agencies.

“Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum,” Mr. Buhari said.

“Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

“In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation.

“Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.

“We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.”

He said at the inception his administration in May, a number of problems were inherited and that he was aware that Nigerians wanted quick solutions not the resolution of the problems.

Mr. Buhari said he had, after consultations, got down to work immediately on the medium term and long term problems which must be tackled if his government must continue to enjoy the confidence of the people.

He expressed delight that the nation’s armed forces had taken the battle to the domain of the Boko Haram insurgents and substantially weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities.

“Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places,” he said.

The President noted that this success was made possible after marshaling an international coalition of armed forces of five neighbouring nations, G7 leaders as well as other friendly nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram.

On power, Mr. Buhari said government officials held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way.

According to him, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging and by the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country.

“All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better,” he said.

Mr. Buhari said his government was able to address the issue of salary arrears owed by state governments to their workers, saying the APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the states.

On ministers, the President pointed out that there was a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers even when there was no cause to be anxious.

“Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over,” he said.

“Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes.

“It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

“Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course.

“Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for Change is all about.”

Mr. Buhari said for Nigeria, October 1st a day for joy and celebrations whatever the circumstances, recalling that 55 years ago the country was liberated from the shackles of colonialism and began her long march to nationhood and greatness.

“No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet,” he enthused.

He said besides population, Nigeria was blessed with arable land, water, forests, oil and gas, coastline and solid minerals.

“We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress,” he said.

“Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.”

Mr. Buhari noted that it was an achievement that the country had remained united and that should be appreciated, while consolidating the fledgling democracy.

“The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system,” the President said.

“Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.”

He reiterated that he bore no ill will against anyone on past events, stressing: “Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.”

While wishing Nigerians a happy independence celebrations, President Buhari admonished Nigerians to appreciate the fact that it would take the combined efforts of all Nigerians to bring about change.

“We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens,” he said.

Source: Media Nigeria

October 2, 2015

Ogun Election Tribunal Mayhem – Bring Perpetrators To Justice, CACOL Demands

By admin / October 1, 2015

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has demanded the arrest and prosecution of party thugs that allegedly attacked a number of litigants in the premises of the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The incident, as reported in the PUNCH edition of Wednesday, September 30, 2015, which occurred on Tuesday, 29th September, 2015, while the tribunal was hearing the petition brought before it by the defeated PDP gubernatorial candidate in the last general elections, Gboyega Isiaka Nasiru, against the incumbent, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, saw people suspected to be thugs allegedly sponsored by a political party, suddenly storming the tribunal premises and began attacking prominent personalities and other litigants with dangerous weapons. They were reported to have invaded the premises in such a large number that forced the policemen on duty to quickly call for reinforcement.

CACOL said it’s highly disturbed at what is gradually becoming a tradition by some overzealous, lawless politicians in our country to continually engage in what could be described a national embarrassment that tends to diminish our value and dignity as a people. Such acts of barbarism are only capable of debasing our sensibility as humans.

“By the way, what sort of society are we trying to build or what legacy shall we be bequeathing to upcoming generations, when the sanctity of our hallowed chambers of justice is flagrantly desecrated at will by those who have assumed a status of out-laws in our midst? Is ours turning into an animal kingdom where laws do not exist at all?” lamented the coalition’s Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran. Since the court is said to be the last hope of the common man in seeking justice, where else could the common man turn to when his last hope has been turned into a scene of jungle behaviours of all sort?

Not too long ago, Nigerians were stunned at the height of barbarism displayed in the premises of the High Court, in Ado-Ekiti, when political thugs invaded the court premises, beating and injuring litigants, counsels and other court officials which included a judge who even had his official robe torn to shreds. The aim, apparently, was to disrupt the case that involved their man, and this they succeeded in achieving as no one could stop them. Report had it that the court, thereafter, had to suspend its sitting for weeks.

Speaking further, Adeniran said, “To the best of our knowledge, nobody was arrested nor invited for questioning, talk-less of being arraigned for prosecution. And because that show of national shame and embarrassment was allowed to go unaddressed, a precedent, so to say, has been set. Today, again, it’s happening in Ogun State and as usual, no one will ever answer for this shameless display of incivility and bestiality.

Therefore, in order that this ugly dimension of gross respect for law and justice, and by extension, for the nation’s sovereignty, is curbed and discouraged, perpetrators and sponsors of this ugly, uncivil and grossly barbaric act in Ogun State, regardless of their social or political status, should be arrested and brought to book, otherwise we might unwittingly be introducing another version of score-settling methods by our politicians. Nothing short of that will be acceptable to law-abiding members of the public.

Source: Universal Reporters.

October 2, 2015

OGUN ELECTION TRIBUNAL MAYHEM – BRING PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE, CACOL DEMANDS

The incident, as reported in the PUNCH edition of Wednesday, September 30, 2015, which occurred on Tuesday, 29^th September, 2015, while the tribunal was hearing the petition brought before it by the defeated PDP gubernatorial candidate in the last general elections, Gboyega Isiaka Nasiru, against the incumbent, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, saw people suspected to be thugs allegedly sponsored by a political party, suddenly storming the tribunal premises and began attacking prominent personalities and other litigants with dangerous weapons. They were reported to have invaded the premises in such a large number that forced the policemen on duty to quickly call for reinforcement. Continue reading “OGUN ELECTION TRIBUNAL MAYHEM – BRING PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE, CACOL DEMANDS”

September 30, 2015

SARAKIGATE: Politicians running from their shadows – CACOL

September 29, 2015

There had been indications in the news that politicians in the country have begun to lobby the Code of Conduct Bureau into availing them the avenue to tinker with the information earlier submitted on the assets declaration forms already in its custody, to escape possible future prosecution.

A development which came in the light of the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false declaration of assets. Politicians in the country had until now seemed to have taken the exercise for granted, believing that a day of reckoning may never come.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, a group of civil-society, community-based and other non-governmental organizations with the objective of fighting corruption and corrupt persons by any means possible at all levels in Nigeria has expressed its dismay over the seeming ineffectiveness of the anti-corruption agencies created by the government. Going by the existing constitutional powers conferred on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), one cannot but wonder as to why these all-important institutions whose activities basically anchor the principle of accountability and probity on the part of public officers had, all these while, so remained virtually consigned to the background, so to say, in the affairs of our democratic governance.

Information reaching us as shown that the CCB seems to be complicit in the exercise to the extent that they simply grant politicians unfettered access to assets declaration forms earlier submitted by them to be altered having seen that the new regime is not taking it easy with those who made anticipatory and false declarations. The forms are not even properly kept; when one gets to their offices, constitutional process for accessing these forms that have been filled is not strictly complied with. They are left in open shelves and at times on the desk where the forms could even disappear, thus allowing a declarant to easily alter what he/she has earlier declared. Corrupt CCB officials engaged in this criminal act should be warned to desist forthwith and be made to realize that the fate of the accomplice in a crime is as grave as that of the perpetrator.

Looking at the CCB and Tribunal Act CAP 56, LFN 1990- The CCB and its twin sister, the Code of Conduct Tribunal are Extra – Ministerial Departments set up by the Federal Government under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap 56, LFN 1990. The Act gave the Bureau the mandate “to establish and maintain a high standard morality in the conduct of Government Business and to ensure that the actions and behavior of Public Officers conform to the highest standard of public morality and accountability.”

Corruption has so far succeeded in not only ravaging our values and pride, but has also succeeded in bastardizing the psyche of the majority so much so that thieves are openly hailed and celebrated. Ours is gradually becoming a society that encourages opportunism in whatever form. The tendency to exploit every given opportunity to satisfy one’s selfish desire no longer rest only with the leaders, the led themselves now encourage the leaders to thrive in self-serving exploits.

It’s saddening and highly disturbing to see what has now become the norm for the led to constantly remind their newly elected (or appointed) leaders of why they should see their new positions as an opportunity that might come only once and so urge them to corruptly enrich themselves to the maximum at the expense of the less privileged. The common phrase nowadays is “it is our turn to chop”.

It is now a common sight to see ‘men of timber and caliber’ turning out in large number to accompany an accused corrupt person to the court or law enforcement or anti-corruption agencies, on a solidarity mission; all aimed at intimidating the institution of justice. This is why, when we put all these together, no one would envy President Buhari on his committed crusade against corruption.

We make bold to say that corruption has virtually become the second name of the average Nigerian, therefore, it would not be entirely out of place to insinuate that whoever is fighting corruption should see himself as indirectly fighting the generality of Nigerians; and we all know what that entails.

Once asset declaration forms were filled and submitted by public officials to the CCB, it becomes a criminal act for any official of the CCB to allow any alteration to the document. Since the politicians had already sworn to oaths that whatever they filled in the forms as their assets was correct, they cannot come back to seek any amendment to any part or section of earlier information therein. That they even attempted to change their declarations at all should be seen as a criminal exercise as doing so amounts to forgery and should be so viewed and treated.

If we are truly serious about fighting corruption and rid of it from our system, all hands have to be on deck and support must be given to the government to do the needful, regardless of who is involved. The Anti-corruption hurricane has started gathering momentum, only the corrupt needs to fear the whirl wind.

Source: Newsverge

September 30, 2015

Arrest politicians seeking to alter assets declaration forms – CACOL

September 30, 2015 : Fisayo Falodi 2 Comments

ALI GAMBO ABDULLAHI

An anti-corruption group, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, on Tuesday called for the arrest of politicians seeking to alter the information already contained in their assets declaration forms.

The group said those engaging in the practice should be arrested and prosecuted for forgery.

In a statement by its acting Media Officer, Temitope Macjob, CACOL said once assets declaration forms were filled and submitted by public officials to the CCB, it becomes a criminal act for any official of the bureau to allow any alteration to the documents.

It said since the politicians had already sworn to oaths that everything they filled in the forms as their assets was correct, they could not come back to seek any amendment to any part or section of information therein. CACOL, however, expressed dismay over what it described as the seeming ineffectiveness of the anti-corruption agencies in the country, especially the CCB.

The group said it was shameful that the CCB, whose activities were basically anchored on the principle of accountability and probity on the part of public officers, had been poorly discharging its responsibilities.

According to CACOL, the CCB is not properly handling the assets declaration forms already submitted to it by politicians.

The group said, “Information reaching us has shown that the CCB seems to be complicit in the exercise to the extent that the bureau simply grants politicians unfettered access to assets declaration forms earlier submitted to it to be altered having seen that the new regime is not taking it easy with those who made anticipatory and false declarations.

“The forms were not even properly kept; when one gets to the CBB offices, constitutional process for accessing these forms is not strictly complied with. The forms are left in open shelves and, at times, on the desk where the forms could even disappear, thus allowing a declarant to easily alter what he/she had earlier declared.

“Corrupt CCB officials engaging in this criminal act should be warned to desist forthwith and be made to realise that the fate of the accomplice in a crime is as grave as that of the perpetrator.”

Source: The Punch.