As
the four year mandate Nigerians offered President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB)
approaches half time, mix reactions are trailing the performance of his
administration and the efficiency of his appointees. The robust pre-election
crusade that the change agenda would transform Nigeria from wilderness to
paradise leaves many wondering why Nigerians should still be drowning in
poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.
The
Buhari apologists opines that the stern hardship is the aftereffect of the treasury
looting and mismanagement by the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Oppositely,
the Jonathan fanatics and opposition parties orates that PMB is incompetent and
his cabinet lacks the proficiency needed to revamp the economy, education,
health and infrastructure. They further question whether the change PMB
promised Nigerians is positive or negative.
Ignite
your interest in this piece as it covers the interest of everyone, irrespective
of your political opinion, social association, ethnic affiliation, economic
estimation and religious devotion. Before proceeding, let’s curtail ambiguity
by approving that political patronage (in-two-words-meaning) denotes -
conditional support, post-election reward, unconstitutional immunity,
countenancing impunity, unjust persecution, selective prosecution, vote buying,
cross carpeting, partisan actions and ethno-religious favoritism.
The
word ‘change’ in the theme ‘political patronage undermining change’ serves two
purposes. Change connotes the PMB ‘change-agenda’ and a ‘change-in-cabinet’. In
broader terms, we are therefore exploring the extent at which political
patronage is undermining the implementation of the PMB change-agenda and
secondly, if political patronage is undermining a change in cabinet.
Without
a doubt, if the All Progressives Congress (APC) change mantra is a saleable
product, the producer’s stupendous wealth would be terribly envied by Dangote.
However, because the mantra emerged as a strategic political strategy, millions
of Nigerians subscribed to it and installed Buhari; after he had failed on
three attempts. This failed attempts, past leadership experience, Spartan discipline
and his stance against corruption foster the selection of Buhari by the political
gladiators that teamed up to establish the APC. Buhari emerged president and it
soon became glaring that the political gladiators are indeed strange bedfellows.
The
struggle for party control, conflicting interests and the allotment of
political portfolios override the speedy kick-off of the implementation of the
change agenda. The president was confused on who to work with. Cries for
recognition, whispers of suggestions and songs of recommendations almost
deafened his ears. Six months after inauguration, PMB released the list of
ministerial nominees and the political gladiators began to count their losses. Surprisingly,
PMB jettisoned party stalwarts and appointed political inactive persons as the Chief-of-Staff
and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
One
of the most acknowledged election victory determinant, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was
least patronized by PMB. It then dawn on the widely acclaimed political genius
(Tinubu) that his input to the emergence of PMB might be a destiny-shattering
political error. Rather than select Tinubu’s nominations, PMB awarded juicy
ministerial portfolios to his estranging political godsons – Babatunde Fashola
and Kayode Fayemi. Many wondered why? From observers lens, PMB’s nearest and
dearest feels Tinubu is best tamed at the start. They cannot risk him dictating
the tunes by planting his mafias in strategic government positions like he did
during Fashola’s reign as Lagos governor.
Moreover,
PMB’s men most likely feel that his accomplishment, authority and reputation as
the former Military Governor of Northeastern State (1975) and Borno (1976),
former Federal Commissioner of Petroleum (1976-78) and former Military Head of
State (1983-85) would be derided should people conceive his administration is
indirectly being piloted by Tinubu, a ‘mere’ elected Senator (1993) and former Lagos
State Governor (1999-2007).
Many
political pundits are of the opinion that PMB exploited Tinubu and other
political gladiators to emerge President. Subsequently, he (PMB) acts his mind
that even though Tinubu and most of the political gladiators have never been
declared guilty, they are not anti-corrupt. For this reason, PMB resolved that
his anti-corruption war and change agenda would be best effected if he does not
patronize Tinubu and other political gladiators like Atiku Abubakar, Abubakar Baraje
and Bukola Saraki. PMB was determined not to allow patronage undermine change!
Most
of the political gladiators either continue lobbying or decide to start
strategizing for 2019, but Saraki was distinct. He hauled the party arrangement
to emerge as Senate President. One must think twice before blaming Saraki for
scoring a political own-goal. Being the son of a prominent businessman and
politician, Saraki is among the few who aged seeing governing Nigeria as their
birthright, hence, he can only be comfortable when he is leading and not being
led.
Just
when Saraki thought he has successfully allotted himself Nigeria’s third most
powerful position, nemesis came knocking. If political hierarchy be considered,
attempts to genuinely prosecute or intentionally sledgehammer Saraki cannot
proceed without the nod of PMB. Indeed, change is here! Nigeria’s incumbent
Senate President is facing false asset declaration charges in court. Most Nigerians
never anticipated such! Saraki is on trial and should he be found guilty,
unlike Obasanjo, his own episode would be from power to prison. This clearly
points out that PMB is not willing to allow patronage undermine the implementation
of his change agenda that focus strongly on fighting corruption.
Let’s
now shift focus from PMB’s party men to his cabinet. Just when the war against
corruption was earning national applauds and international accolades, the Shehu
Sani led Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the
North-East indicted the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF),
Babachir Lawal, for corruption.
Babachir
was accused of awarding inflated contracts to firms he has strong stakes in. He
was tackled with damning evidence of - awarding N223 million contract for the
removal of invasive plant species; receiving deposits totaling N200million into
the account of Rhola Vision Engineering Limited (his firm) from the company that
was awarded the contract; his non-resignation from Rhola Vision (RV) upon the
assumption of public office and; him still being a signatory to RV’s account
after he later resigned.
Lest
I forget, whoever coined the term ‘invasive plant species’ as an alternative
term for ‘grass’ is indeed a genius whose intellectualism is been devoured by
political brigands to rob the displaced and vulnerable. A serious deliverance
session is needed to navigate his intellectualism back to the path of
compassionate public service.
After
failing to honor the Senate’s invitation and the public awareness of the damning
evidence, many thought the fear of being crushed by PMB’s anti-corruption
sledgehammer would make Babachir recoil and tactfully articulate his defense.
Rather, Babachir arrogantly dismissed the accusative report and declared that
the Senate is “talking balderdash”. Nigerians were shocked at such display of
confidence and were anxiously expecting PMB to fumigate his inner circle by
suspending the SGF in order to pave way for a transparent probe and
prosecution. Disappointingly, PMB failed the litmus test by skillfully absolving
the SGF of any wrong doing.
If
truth be told, the last time Nigerians were that disappointed was when Yakubu
Aiyegbeni failed to score into an empty net at the 2010 World-Cup and when
ex-president Jonathan increased the price of fuel (from N65-87) on 1 January,
2012.
PMB
derided the anti-corruption war by writing a flimsy excuse to the Senate that
the SGF was not granted fair hearing. Please be mindful that a Senate
investigative hearing invitation was sent to Babachir and his name was listed
among those invited by the Senate in the 2 December, 2016 publication of Daily
Trust. Till date, Babachir is still occupying the SGF position in a government that
her main qualification is anticorruption. Logically, the long-term patronage
between Buhari and Babachir appears to be restricting the President from being
decisive. Is patronage undermining change?
PMB
has hesitate to change his corruption-tainted appointee(s) while opposing
figures (like Reuben Abati, Olisah Metuh and Musiliu Obanikoro) with similar
accusation and evidence are being subject to investigation, media trial,
incarceration and prosecution. Before sentiment shroud your judgment, please
imagine how Babachir’s case would have been handled if he served as SGF under
ex-president Jonathan and such weighty evidence of corruption surfaced against
him. Besides, If Femi Fani Kayode did not cross-carpet into the PDP and he
successfully pilot PMB’s campaign to victory like he hoped to do for Jonathan,
can you in good conscience vow that he would be answering corruption cases by
now?
Let’s
reason straight and retest this oppositely! Please take a moment to imagine the
extent at which Rotimi Ameachi would have languished in anguish if GEJ had won
the presidential election. Having imagined how miserable Amaechi’s life would
have been, may I advise that you never brand a political cabal as a saint and
taint the other? It is unfortunate that patronage-deciding-prosecution cut
across boards, irrespective of political party.
The
recent purported release of former Adamawa Governor, James Ngilari, after being
found guilty of corruption and sentenced to five years imprisonment shows the
extent at which patronage is fertilizing anarchy and deriding the war against
corruption.
On
the claim that Ngilari was terribly sick, his comrades cajoled the prison
officials to illegally issue a letter recommending that he be released to seek
medical attention abroad. In what appears conspiratorial, Justice Nathan Musa
ordered Ngilari’s release without confirming the authenticity of the documents
presented before him. Within an eye twinkle, Ngilari regained freedom without
prison break, state pardon or a favorable appeal judgment. Sadly, other individuals
convicted for lesser offences and awaiting trial inmates are dying of minor
ailments daily, while Ngilari is been flown abroad for treatment with the
public funds he stole. Is prisoner-Ngilari a special being?
Not
many individuals are considering the irreparable damage Ngilari’s sleaze is
inflicting on the Adamawa masses. A lot of women would have lost their lives to
maternal mortality; lack of healthcare facilities would have made many families
lose their loved ones to minor diseases; the non-motor-able roads would have
consumed the lives of many and; unemployment would have frustrated many youths
into crime. Most of this unemployed youths are not even employable because the
educational system is rotten from nursery to tertiary. Imagine this horrible
happenings befalling the Adamawa natives, and by extension Nigerians, because
people like Ngilari have pocketed the commonwealth.
It
is indisputable that Ngilari’s comrade won’t have the effrontery to commit such
villainy if they don’t have the backing of prominent Nigerians and individuals
within the corridors of power. Is patronage undermining change?
For
how long will patronage continue to undermine change? Arise Buhari!
* Omoshola Deji is a political and public
affairs analyst. He wrote in via moshdeji@yahoo.com
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