Uzokwe's Searchlight

One good thing that has already come out of this whole brouhaha...In response to Atiku's letter asserting that his civil rights, as a sitting vice president, were being trampled, the president responded ''....immunity... does not include investigation.''
Sunday, September 10, 2006



Alfred Obiora Uzokwe

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OBASANJO VERSUS ATIKU:
FOR THE GOOD OF NIGERIA OR A WITCH-HUNT?
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he President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo, has forwarded to the Senate, the report of the FBI and PTDF investigation. Based on what is currently known about the report, the president feels, in no uncertain terms, that his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a case to answer. Succinctly put, the vice president has been charged with allegations of corruption and abuse of office. The president has therefore asked the Senate to look into the report with an aim to sanctioning the number two man.


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Dispassionately viewed, the reports of the investigations seem compelling and the president's actions look like a fair attempt to really fight corruption in high places. But the questions in the minds of many Nigerians, as we await more facts about this matter, are as follows: Is the president's action really in good faith and for the good of the country or is it a political witch hunt? Are the reports of the investigations factual enough to conclude that the vice president is very corrupt or is he being persecuted, as he stated, for standing against the third term bid? Is this a back-door attempt to tarnish the image of the vice president to make him damaged goods and unelectable?

The answers to the above questions are still unclear but several actions leading up to this episode cast a shadow of suspicion on the whole process and findings, creating an appearance of a political witch hunt. Not too long ago, Nigerians woke up to read that men of the SSS broke into the vice president's political office, roughing up the people there and removing some documents and equipment. Even the white man in the office was taken away! Well meaning Nigerians imagined that for such a drastic action to have been taken by the presidency, the vice president must have committed an egregious and treasonable offence. It was shocking to later hear that the action was an "honest mistake" in response to a "tip off" about a "white man" in the building. There was also the case of breaking into the bank and removing bank papers relating to the vice president. Is it possible that all the break ins and removal of documents were really fishing expeditions geared towards scuttling the political ambition of the vice president? While this writer is not suggesting that the reports of the investigations should be looked down upon because of the method and manner that they were obtained, Nigerians should remember the Watergate scandal and how overbearing presidential influence led to abuse of office, break in and entry, all culminating in the disgrace of a sitting president. It is this writer's opinion, that the actions leading up to penultimate September 6, when Nigeria's president eventually went to the Senate with his report, should all be put into perspective in analyzing the contents of the report.

The PTDF and FBI reports have now been submitted to the Senate for study, deliberation, analysis and action. It is the hope of Nigerians that members of the Senate and House would once again garner the courage that briefly enveloped them during the third term debate and stand with the truth and let the chips fall where they may. They should be bold enough to review the reports carefully and dispassionately. Without fear or favor, they should render the correct verdict based on the facts. If after deliberations they find Atiku guilty of the charges leveled against him, they should not be afraid to follow up with necessary sanctions including impeachment. They should equally not be afraid to come out with their findings, if they determine that this is merely a fishing expedition by the president. If that is the case, then they must not only dismiss the charges against the vice president, but must also sanction the president via a motion for frivolity, pettiness and debasement of the hallowed office of the presidency.

In reading through the interviews that some of the members of the Senate have been granting to the press, I sense a Senate body that is already afraid of discharging its duties. Some are afraid of offending the president while others are afraid of offending Atiku. Essentially, those that voted for the third term seem to feel that the President has done the right thing. Yet those who stood against the third term bid seem to think that there is nothing to the report. This is what I call the politics of personalities in Nigeria. The politics of personalities always make it difficult to get to the truth. If in the end they vote on this matter based on how much they love or hate the vice president or the president, then democracy would have been scuttled and Nigeria would have been set back many years in its quest for a credible and sustainable democracy.

It has even been reported that some of the lawmakers are already brimming with hope that this standoff would be another opportunity for Ghana must go bags to exchange hands for their benefit. If there is any truth to this, then it is a shame. I must however say that this is where the EFCC must come in if Ribadu wants it to be seen as a real anti-corruption body that Nigerians should trust. This is the time for EFCC to hover over the Senate and House buildings like the Sword of Damocles, coming down hard on those that seek, organize or accept bribe in exchange for doing the wrong thing. It is very important that at the end of this all, justice would have been seen to be done because there is a lot at stake on this matter.

One good thing that has already come out of this whole brouhaha is that the president has clarified a matter which, for many years now, has been the subject of misunderstanding, largely because of his own actions. In response to Atiku's letter asserting that his civil rights, as a sitting vice president, were being trampled, the president responded,

"�I wish to draw your attention to the fact that the immunity conferred on a person holding the Office of the President or Vice-President, Governor or Deputy Governor as provided for in Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not include investigation." [The Guardian, Sept 6, 2006]
Essentially, the president has confirmed what Nigerians have always said before which is that no office holder is beyond investigation. Atiku is not above investigation and the president should not either.

The above admission is important because there are several issues or charges that various people have made against the president himself. Many of these charges have not been investigated because of the immunity clause. Now that the president has cleared the way for his own investigation, the EFCC must show that it is a non-partisan body and swing into action. The Vice President alleged that Chief Mike Adenuga is building a library worth several millions of Naira at the grounds of the Bells University which is owned by the president. The EFCC must investigate that. Also, part of the corruption charges leveled against Atiku is the fact that he owns the ABTI University in Yola. The EFCC must, in the same token, begin an actual investigation of how the Bells University was acquired as well as find out those that have been financing the University and determine whether there have been any quid pro quo.

As Nigerians await more information on this saga, it must be forcefully stated that they deserve the truth. Investigation of our leaders must be total and absolute. Any and all leaders that have any credible charges against them must be investigated. Along that line, the Senate must thoroughly look at the charges against Atiku; if he is found guilty, then he must face the music. On the other hand, they must push for the investigation of the allegations against the president himself. They must then study the reports and if the president is found guilty, he must equally face the music. For Nigeria to continue to advance democratically, it must be demonstrated that no one is above the law including the president and his vice. We must start somewhere because as my father would always say, "ex nihilo nihil fit"

HERE I STAND.