Malami/el-Rufai: Matters Arising

The media space is awash with reports of the plight of Alhaji Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation in the Muhammadu Buhari administration, and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, as they wrestle with the law over their acts of omission and commission while in those offices.

Critics allege that the legal process they are presently entangled with is politically-motivated.

This newspaper may want to assume, without conceding, that that is the case, considering the powers they wielded while in those offices. Their case presents some lessons though for others still in office who may be advised to learn about the ephemeral limitations of power at whatever level and/or dispensation.

May we point out that until the start of their ordeal, they were among the movers and shakers of the present political party in power. They became  villains of sorts when they jumped ship  and switched camp and loyalty against the ruling oligarchy that prides itself on turning a blind eye to any acts of malfeasance, provided a loyal member remained an obedient servant. They are, to that extent, victims of circumstance who are being scapegoated for a pervasive malaise.

For the avoidance of doubt, this newspaper harbours no sympathy for any politician called to account for his or her stewardship at any time. What we insist on is that the process must not be selective; targets ought to be dealt with without recourse to political expediency or manipulation.

We are also aware that a sizeable number of those still serving across the entire gamut of the political hierarchy have even more grievous sins to answer for, but are deliberately shielded because of their loyalty to a mandate that is, in itself, irredeemably flawed.

The nation does not have to wait until a Pharaoh who knows no Joseph mounts the saddle of leadership. Or, for that matter, until someone falls out of favour before the needful that is in the nation’s best interest is served.

We are sufficiently persuaded that the Nigerian governance structure has become the proverbial Augean Stable, deserving of meticulous cleansing without regard for political or socio-cultural considerations.

In countries like China, with a zero-tolerance for corruption, they don’t wait until one leaves office or steps out of political line for the sledgehammer to come down. In France, a former President, Nicolas Sarkozy, is in jail for doing the wrong things while in office, like collecting bribes from the former Libyan strongman, Muammar Gaddafi. Spirow Agnew, Vice President in the Richard Nixon administration, was removed from office for a mere tax evasion, tried and when found guilty, was jailed.

These are minor offences compared to the sleaze these Nigerian characters are accused of – converting to private use funds meant for development purposes. In China, there would have been no excuse. They would have paid a visit to the hangman by now.

Records of some serving National Assembly members and their counterparts in the executive arm tell a tale of abuse of office for which they deserve to be in prison. But no. They are still protected through political affiliations, a form of blackmail that keeps them on the leash of the powers that be while the citizens are made to suffer as victims of mindless indiscretions and deliberate misgovernance.

Still, sadly, in our view, these politicians that fit the description of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves will continue to reign because the people allow them to, due mainly to political idiocy of accepting tokens of what belongs to them as a form of favour or prolonged brainwashing by their tormentors – in – chief, who have mastered the evil skills of Stalinist methods of cult personality, repression and violence, propaganda, education and censorship.

In the opinion of this newspaper, there is an urgent need for a Daniel to come to judgement wielding the scale and sword of justice without fear, favour or ill-will.

We are persuaded to argue that political office is a place for those with the right attitude and understanding that service to humanity is the driving force. It is not an opportunity to self-aggrandise. And when such is noticed, the culprit gets the guillotine as the ultimate price without wasting any more of the state’s resources in endless and meaningless litigations.

We are compelled to posit that the way to ensure that public officers learn that the public purse is sacred and not open to violations by those put in charge is to design a system with the appropriate penal mechanism.

Unfortunately, that is not going to happen anytime soon because the same elements abusing it are the ones in charge, making laws that govern how it runs, which are put in place to protect the violators and not the violated society.

Another way around it is for the people themselves to make up their minds on who to send in as their representatives and decide not to acquiesce to their inanities by switching off the stomach infrastructure channels.