PMB @ ONE: MATTERS ARISING

Almost exactly a year ago on this page, we presented an analysis of the Inaugural Address President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) delivered at Eagle Square on that historic day of May 29, 2015. In that analysis, we had looked at particular snippets of the address and proffered advice and ways forward based on our understanding of […]

Almost exactly a year ago on this page, we presented an analysis of the Inaugural Address President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) delivered at Eagle Square on that historic day of May 29, 2015. In that analysis, we had looked at particular snippets of the address and proffered advice and ways forward based on our understanding of what the President meant. With hindsight, we may well say we were right in almost all counts. For example, when PMB said that there would “no paying off old scores” we had warned “…if you are not going AFTER them, ensure they will not go AFTER you…anyone that has stolen our patrimony should be made to voluntarily surrender a large chunk of it….”
Good grief as to what we are hearing and seeing!
So, thanks be to God, tomorrow May 29, 2016 is a year since that history was made. Nigerians are highly expectant that PMB’s Democracy Day Address tomorrow will be full of information on, for example, how much money has been extracted from the nation’s thieves; how much money is there exactly in the TSA; what he intends to do about Niger Delta Avengers, herdsmen/farmers, kidnapping, etc. While we await tomorrow’s address, we again, as commentators, re-evaluate the year’ scorecard based on his address of last year. Plus some WAYS FORWARD.

“I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody. A few people have privately voiced fears that on coming back to office I shall go after them. These fears are groundless. There will be no paying off old scores…”
Thank God you didn’t keep your word, Mr. President! Or, rather, thank God we misunderstood what you meant! Last year, we doubted if all thieves would be let go in what the Hausa say “Gafiya tsira da na bakinki!” (or, ‘Keep what you’ve stolen, but steal no more’). We look forward to finding out how much has been retrieved so far. Just this Thursday, reports say the family of a well-known loquacious politician have offered to return N400 million that he has ‘taken’.

WAY FORWARD: A law should immediately be enacted, or the Electoral Law amended, or however, to make ANY PERSON CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION to be banned from politics and holding public office forever.
Insecurity, pervasive corruption, the hitherto unending and seemingly impossible fuel and power shortages are the immediate concerns…We can fix our problems.
It seems, Mr. President, that our problems are the ones ‘fixing’ us, rather than the other way around. We don’t know what the laws say about declaring a State of Emergency, but our situation really calls for that in many sectors, if such Emergencies can give you the ‘freedom’ to solve, resolve or confront them. Whenever a pipeline is vandalised, for example, major oil companies immediately invoke Force Majeure to shield themselves.

WAY FORWARD: It is time, Mr. President, to declare STATES OF EMERGENCY in the oil industry and electric power industry. And after you resolve that, we move to the next problems ‘fixing’ us. After all, Sir, you still have enormous reservoir of trust.

We shall rebuild and reform the public service to become more effective and more serviceable. We shall charge them to apply themselves with integrity to stabilize the system.

It is a good thing to biometrically expose and eliminate ghost workers and save billions for the national treasury. But one thing people have been waiting to hear is which civil servants did these salary paddings. They must be brought to book as the politicians now facing EFCC. The corrupt civil servants are much more dangerous than the politicians – they teach the latter how to steal and they themselves steal fantastically. In fact, it has been said that most Abuja property is owned by these category of thieves. And EFCC seems overwhelmed.

WAY FORWARD: ICPC, which seems underworked and underwhelmed, should begin an audit of ALL Abuja properties to unravel who owns what. Any property found to be owned by someone who cannot be said to be legitimately able to acquire same should be forfeited to government, and auctioned. And the money TSA’d.
The Federal Executive under my watch will not seek to encroach on the duties and functions of the Legislative and Judicial arms of government. For their part the legislative arm must keep to their brief of making laws, carrying out over-sight functions and doing so expeditiously.
We think you must encroach, Sir. With the budget imbroglio as a lesson, we think you must dabble. Not unconstitutionally, but by other means. There must be a way or two that can allow you to wriggle your way into dabbling in some extra-executive affairs. For example, most of those elected came on the platform of your famous SAK (‘All Through’). If SAK elected them, they must be seen to be SAK in manner and intent.

WAY FORWARD: You must have a think-tank of independent and incorruptible monitors and evaluators who can give you a scorecard of all SAK beneficiaries. And cause recall of those anti-SAKs.
The judicial system needs reform to cleanse itself from its immediate past. The country now expects the judiciary to act with dispatch on all cases especially on corruption, serious financial crimes or abuse of office.
We are sorry Sir, but we think a year on after you spoke the judiciary is yet to be cleansed. Most Nigerians are unhappy with the judiciary. But, to be fair, judges say they can only work within the existing laws. That our laws allow them to jail a goat thief for ten years and a corrupt politician for ten hours – or until so-called bail conditions are met. (But we are not saying the goat thief should be let go – in the village he is the greatest criminal).

WAY FORWARD: As quickly as possible, the country’s laws must be reviewed in view of prevailing circumstances. Your anti-corruption advisory committee under Prof Itse Sagay can well do that, if that is not already part of their remit.
Elsewhere relations between Abuja and the States have to be clarified if we are to serve the country better…As far as the constitution allows me I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country.
We are sorry to say, Mr. President, that you are being short-changed by the Governors. As the National Assembly, as the Governors – they are all ‘Danjuma and Danjummai.’ Ask to know what they did with the monies you loaned them recently. Most of the monies have ‘bailed out’.

WAY FORWARD: Ditto as suggested for legislators above. After all, Sir, many of the Governors are also SAK beneficiaries.
…But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents.
Glory be God for Amina Ali. And the disputed Sarah Luka. May the rest also be found.

WAY FORWARD: Sarah Luka must also count. And all other rescued captives.
“The amnesty programme in the Niger Delta is due to end in December, but the Government intends to invest heavily in the projects, and programmes currently in place…
Mr. President, you must have heard the story, yarned decades ago, as to why Niger Delta militants vandalise pipelines. They were said to have said: “Any time we ask for development, they tell us ‘it is in the pipeline’! That’s why we are breaking the pipelines to find where our ‘development’ is hiding. On a serious note, what the so-called Niger Delta Avengers are doing is a brazen declaration of war, much like what the likes of Biafra.

WAY FORWARD: You are a General, Sir. You know better!