BY Wale Fatade
It was quite fitting that Yakubu Dogara, our dear House of Representatives Speaker, stayed away from the 56th independence anniversary celebrations. The pictures from the celebration, which showed the symbolic release of pigeons and the other ones where the president, vice president, senate president, and the chief justice were clutching goblets, did not include Mr. Dogara.
Maybe I missed it, but there has been no official communication from Dogara’s office on his whereabouts during the celebration and colleagues covering the State House too did not deem it fit to investigate further where he was that moment. Perhaps, he decided to stay away as the stench oozing from the house he presides over is yet to go away.
Events last week in the house should give all of us serious concern; I mean the suspension and eventual sealing up of Abdulmumin Jibrin’s office. We should all know the story by now. Jibrin was the appropriation committee chairman of the representatives who resigned, accusing the principal officers of corruption, otherwise known as ‘budget padding’ a wonderful addition to political lexicon from this part of the world. There have been accusations and counter accusations from many members of the house until they resumed and he was asked to face the ethics committee. Initially, Jibrin demanded that the committee siting be conducted openly so that the world will know what happened and this was rejected. The request was later granted but the whistle blower demurred, apparently a result of wise legal counsel.
Thereafter, he was suspended for 180 sitting days and bolekaja tactics introduced with his office sealed with tape and what have you by the house security officials. We are never short of melodrama among our politicians. Nothing saddens more than the fact that when the house decided to vote on its ethics committee report, there was no dissenting voice against Jibrin’s suspension. Watching the debate on television will leave sour taste in the mouth. Apart from the scanty attendance, which is a serious matter on its own, no member present said a word against the suspension. One thing is clear though, jibrin is not a model of a representative, but having shown an inclination to drawing the curtains enough for us to see what transpires in one of the most secretive chambers in the land, the senate being the other one, he needs our support. The house is further guilty as the ethics committee sitting violated one of its own rules that any matter in court cannot be adjudicated on by it or any of its organs. Let’s see how this matter plays out in the court.
As citizens, it seems we do not know what we want exactly from our political leaders. While we know they are parasites and pathologically corrupt, yet whenever we see one willing to break ranks and commit self-immolation, we condemn and throw such on a moving truck’s way. Just see the kerfuffle over former governor Peter Obi’s wonderful comments on Independence Day over wastage in government. As lamentable as his actions were previously, it’s shameful that none of us is willing to stand up for Jibrin to demand more accountability among our representatives who earn, reportedly, a tidy N25 million monthly including perks and allowances. We are not out on the streets protesting or pelting them with rotten tomatoes or stones, as tomatoes are too precious these days. Neither are we at their constituency offices or houses asking questions on what really happened during the budget deliberations. We are not asking enough questions about the so-called constituency projects as well. So, I ask again, what do we want exactly?
The APC too seems confused about its message, as winning elections appears more paramount than actual governance. Since this crisis in the house, the party has not shown clearly enough that she wants accountability and probity. There have been few statements on doing the right thing and no demand has been made of her members among the representatives. Let’s not worry ourselves about the PDP as they have rarely been on the people’s side. What about the president too whose mantra has always been anti-corruption? Quite instructive that he has met with Dogara twice since the saga commenced, but there has been no meeting with Jibrin. Why is this so? We must hold him to account on his promise in Saudi Arabia that those involved in budget padding will be prosecuted. Whatever happens to that promise?
Our fight against corruption, if we can call it that, will be limited greatly if we are not willing to protect whistle blowers. If we cannot offer succour or protection for those willing to squeal on their fellow thieves, we cannot go far on the journey to a better society that we desire.
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