HAS PRESIDENT BUHARI LOST THE BATTLE AGAINST CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA?

President Buhari.

Seeing the video of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyosom Wike make mockery of the fight against corruption in the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari leaves one wondering if truly, the fight is still ongoing?

How does a man accused of mismanaging 25 Billion Dollars worth of contract, that is, NINE TRILLION NAIRA have access to see the president at the Presidential Villa?

The President’s meeting with the Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru who was accused by his supervising minister and chairman of the board of NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu of contract awards to the tune of 25Billion Dollars without deference to him as his boss shows that the fight against the menace of corruption in Nigeria has been watered completely down.

What this portend is that when you are accused by anybody and you can have access to the president, then you have nothing to worry about. How is it possible that the contracts spoken about by Dr. Kachikwu were not given to people working in the presidency? For the minister to say he hadn’t had audience with the president in a while after trying many times, leaves one asking if the people who prevented him from seeing the president didn’t know what his intentions for trying to see Buhari was and so the reason to bar him from getting close to spoil their show.

When President Muhammadu Buhari was campaigning for the presidency in 2015, the mantra and reason why he canvassed for our collective votes was because he told us he was going to fight corruption to a stand-still, making some of us believe in his ability to return Nigeria to her past story, but what is happening with this case between his own deputy minister and an MD under his deputy minster is of a sour taste and everybody must stand to be counted as we ask the president and presidency not to put shame on the faces of some of us who labored for his emergence as president.

For if a Nyosom Wike would have the temerity to mock the president the way he is doing especially amongst PDP faithfuls in Abia State and in the presence of the State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, then it’s a shame how this fight has been completely been ridiculed.

In saner climes, ones there is any allegation at all against a person, the most expected thing to do would be to have the person step aside, but in this case, the MD of NNPC didn’t only get into Aso Rock, but had audience with the President through the vice to discuss what in particular? To convince the president through his vice that what he is alleged to have done is not true? Or to make case for his removal to be overlooked by the presidency? What exactly did Maikanti Baru go into the presidential villa for, same day his boss, the Honourable Minister of State was allowed to see the President?

Baru and Ibe Kachikwu.

You know, some of us who championed the Buhari brand are gradually covering our faces in shame in the face of what is happening now. So, what exactly is the difference between this case and that of Stella Odua whom former president Goodluck Jonathan refused to let go even after she was found culpable in the scandal that rocked the Ministry of Aviation as minister?

The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has come out also to berate this administration saying that the corruption embedded under the watch of the President, is nothing to write home about, and some of us are sure to support their position on this because, where on earth does an accused person get a listening ear before actions are taken against them?

Why was the past administration of Goodluck Jonathan ridden with heavy-duty corruption? Was it not because he didn’t have the will-power to say no to those he appointed, neither relieved some of their duties when necessary and so, what is the difference now?

The case of the former Secretary to the Federal Government, David Babachir Lawal and Former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayo Oke were some of the old stock and the delay in removing them and the committal of their removal to mare suspension was another eye opener that if by any chance they are cleared of any wrong doing, they will be returned back to office in this country? WONDERS are happening under this president.

It is worrisome therefore that the fight against corruption which was what the president told us he would do is now being used supposedly by the opposition party, the same party that put Nigeria where she is right is coming out to question the president and the ruling APC if truly they are fighting the same corruption they told Nigerians they would fight and justifiably so, they are right to ask questions and right also to assume, either right or wrong, that the fight the president promised us is not same as the one we are seeing as it were.

With all these, it won’t then be out of place to allude that the President, Muhammadu Buhari is tired and completely exhausted with the fight against corruption in Nigeria and the earlier he seats up, the better for him and the administration of the All Progressives Congress in Nigeria.