James Onanefe Ibori was a ‘big boy’ in the days of General Sani Abacha. Between 1999 and 2007 when he presided over Delta State, he was a Sheik and was in control of the oil money in the state and spent it anyhow he liked. It was said that he sponsored the late Umaru Yar’Adua to the Aso Rock and became larger than life when the Katsina-born politician took over the reins of power as president. Ibori was among those who determined what happened in that government.
But when death snatched away Yar’Adua, unceremoniously, Ibori’s day quickly turned into night; his sins were laid bare. What followed was three years of incarceration in far away London.
The Oghara-born Ibori was however, releasedWednesday, but the administration of Muhammadu Buhari has since threatened that Ibori would be extradited to face more charges at home. But from what we have been seeing since the All Progressives Congress (APC) came into power, the former governor of Delta State can avoid facing any further charge in-country by simply declaring from London that he has joined the band of broom-wielders.
It has come to be believed that the APC hardly touches anyone with broom; whenever it sees anyone clutching the broom, the party will just pass over such a person. Some people who had swelling allegations of corruptly enriching themselves (a thing that the President’s ears ordinary would not hear because of his commitment to graft-fighting) have been forgiven and their cases quashed just because they left PDP or PPA or other opposition parties for the APC. Not only that Ibori can come back to Nigeria a free man, he can be given state pardon and even paraded in motorcade at the Villa, if only he can declare for APC today.
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No place like home
Many of them were tricked to Libya in the guise that they were being saved from the hell in Nigeria. Some were trafficked to the foreign land to work as prostitutes or other undignified jobs. Most times, many of them who leave the country in such undignified manner live as fugitives in foreign lands.
They are not only a problem to their host countries; they are also a huge embarrassment to themselves. The display of gratitude and the celebratory mood as captured by photo journalists last Tuesday, when the deportees from Libya arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, bore eloquent testimony that there is no place like home. Some of them, when they were leaving Nigeria, thought they were going to Libya to pluck money from the trees or that they were going to be picking foreign currencies on the street of Libya, for instance.
Those who deceived them into taking the fatal decision never told them that there is no free food even in Freetown. On a regular basis we hear disheartening stories of Nigerians dying in the deserts and drowning in the ocean as they try to cross to Europe. But it is always better for one to die in one’s own fatherland where even the corpse will be accorded a measure of respect than in a foreign land where one’s life has no meaning.
The latest batch of deportees profusely thanked God for making it possible for them to return to Nigeria alive. The lesson we must all learn from the sad experiences of these compatriots is that no matter how difficult things appear in-country, it is still more dignified to remain here than to be a fugitive in a foreign land all in the name of running away from trouble. Those who returned in one piece must continue to express gratitude to God, and also to the government of the day that brokered the deal. However, Sketches is in agreement with the views of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) that the Nigerian Government must tackle the root causes of conflicts to end humanitarian crises.
The Chief of Mission of IOM in Nigeria, Enira Krdzalic, noted that until the root causes of conflicts are addressed, Nigerians will continue to make desperate and dangerous trips across the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara desert in search for safety and greener pastures.
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President’s men on trial
Early in the life of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, there were some people who regarded themselves as untouchable. These individuals hid under the frosty relationship between the Executive and the Legislature at the time to see themselves as above the law.
At that time, those who had questions to answer among the appointees of the President, or some directors-general of agencies and paratatals who were summoned by the National Assembly for questioning over breach of due process, among other dereliction of duties either spurned the invitation or refused to abide by instructions issued by the NASS. At that time, the Senate would give an order to an agency DG and such orders are never obeyed. While that was going on, government was busy putting heat and mounting enormous pressure on its perceived enemies at the National Assembly.
In fact, at the time the screening for the ministers was done, many Nigerians had thought that the Senate would frustrate the recruitment of some of them. But many people had also spoken out that doing so would portray the upper legislative chamber as anti-masses, since it was believed at that time that the constitution of the cabinet was all that was needed to take the country to Eldorado. So, the Senate allowed the sleeping dog to lie by clearing all the names sent to it by the President, even those that had serious “but”.
Today, the Bukola Saraki-led Senate may have seen the helplessness of the Buhari administration and has watched as the government has walked itself into the mire, and is now struggling to hang on to power till 2019, hence, the Senate is now baring its fangs. Not only that the Red chamber threw back at the President, the list containing Ibrahim Magu’s name as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), insisting that on no account should the man be confirmed to occupy the seat, it is also insisting that two members of the cabal in Buhari government, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal and the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, are not worthy to be in government because they allegedly do not have clean hands. Well, wherever the Senate found this strong voice to speak out and up, and to be barking so ferociously as it is doing now, it is interesting to know the source of this new courage.
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She fell for the bait
Last Tuesday, Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa State governor, swore in 29 new aides among who was a woman, Mercy Seigha, said to be a staunch member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Dickson pointed out that those appointed contributed immensely to his re-election. He said their doggedness ensured the victory of the restoration government. Now, here is woman, a faithful member of the opposition party, who perhaps, campaigned vigorously against Dickson. Is it possible for her to maintain her opposition stance in her present capacity as Dickson’s aide? Although there is no report indicating that she had left the APC for the PDP since the Bayelsa gubernatorial election was won and lost, truth be told, Seigha has lost the opposition spirit, she is now a full-fledged member of the ruling party in the state or is it possible for her to effectively serve two masters? Please, may somebody who knows her tell us her present disposition as regard loyalty?
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Local govt autonomy and all that
So much has been said about the suffocation of the local government administration by state governors. What is annoying really is that those who were part of the rape of that tier of government yesterday are today screaming foul over the near-extinction of that tier in many states of the federation. Over the years, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) has protested the deliberate killing of local government administration by state governments and no one appears to be listening.
Over the years, state governments have continued to determine whatever happens at that tier. In most states, state governments decide to run the councils on caretaker committee basis, where they handpick their cronies and put them in charge as figure heads, instructing them not to do anything in terms of development there. All the money that should accrue to that tier of government for meaningful development is diverted into the personal coffers of state governors. For many years, the issue has been a legal matter with ALGON wrestling against state governments. Recently, the Supreme Court affirmed the tenure of life of the local governments of the country which appears to have rested the age-long tussle over tenureship under which the state governors hide to perpetrate illegality. Pundits have described the decision as a major tonic to the country’s democracy.
The judgment given on December 9 affirmed that governors do not have the right to dissolve democratically elected local governments and appoint caretaker committees in their place. It is a welcomed development. It is therefore expected that the state governors will have a constitutional responsibility to act according to the dictates of the judgment.
Again, the Federal Ministry of Finance should be guided by the court decision which makes it illegal to release Federation Account funds to an unelected council. It would be recalled that the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu had endorsed the removal of the state-local government Joint Account which he described as the “evil” that has continuously lured the governors to the reign of dictatorship. With the liberty given them now by the judgment, eyes would now be on that tier of government to see how they can now fast-track development at that level.
Agomuo Zebulon
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