The 8th National Assembly and fight against corruption

That corruption is the most thriving business in Nigeria is not in doubt. It has been so acknowledged both in Nigeria and among the international community. Indeed, during the campaign leading to his presidential election victory, President Muhammadu Buhari said about Nigeria: “If we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us.”

The newly-inaugurated government of Buhari has put the fight against this malaise in the front burner as one of the thrusts of his administration and every Nigerian, except those who benefit from the fruit of corruption, is praying and supporting the change administration that the enigma which corruption has become shall be unravelled and solution found to reducing it to the barest minimum. Yes, to the barest minimum because nobody, system or country can eradicate corruption completely.

This is where I have my fear. No man can give what he does not have and no system can be better than those who run it. If the 8th National Assembly therefore will fight corruption, members should be people of impeccable character who distance themselves from corrupt practices. Yes, the National Assembly should be the bastion of good governance. For instance, they profile and confirm persons nominated by the president for ministerial posts; they give approval to the appointment of the chief justice of the Nigeria and the judges of the Appeal and Supreme courts; they approve and confirm the appointment of the inspector general of Police, etc. So, the National Assembly takes responsibility for the failure of the appointees whom they confirm proper and fit for their various posts. Beyond that, nothing has been concluded about the numerous investigations which they have carried out over persons suspected to be corrupt. In fact, some of them ended up being charged of corruption by the EFCC.

It is worrisome, therefore, the story carried by Saturday Punch (16th May, 2015) which indicates that over 15 of the senators-elect have various cases of corruption to the tune N172 billion with the EFCC. If this is true, then a huge doubt is cast upon the ability of the incoming Senate to fight corruption.

The hope of Nigerians that the Buhari administration will give a good fight to corruption is very high. But can this be possible if the NASS cannot be seen as free from the cankerworm of corruption? I am not saying that any of them is guilty, but if, as it was reported, they have these issues, does it not constitute a moral burden on both the government (i.e., the executive) and the NASS itself?

Nobody is guilty until the law says so. This we know, and we also know that some of them had won elections while in prison custody; however, the records and performance of such people do not show that they have become different, some of them will still have fresh charges against them for their ignominious acts while they were in their various offices.

The general is noted to be an upright man who does not tolerate any form of misdemeanour. That is as far as it goes with the man as a person. But will it be same with his government? Will Buhari the head of state be Buhari the president? Given the slowness of the court and the fact that it is only the court that can pronounce a person guilty of corruption or any other crime, are we really going to see the end of this profligacy during his administration?

Can the 8th National Assembly muster the muscle to fight corruption? We are watching and waiting to see!

Uwadilachi I. Ijioma