Buhari and his ‘family members’ in power

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By ‘Femi SHODUNKE

NIGERIA: MY people let us speak the truth.  Either we tell it or not we are going to die one day.  So, why not speak your conscience and die there?

SOME of you will recall that I vigorously campaigned, via social media, telephone calls and other means, for the election of the then All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, who is now President Muhammadu Buhari.

DESPITE that where the President or his APC is going wrong, or indeed went wrong, by my judgement, I’ll not hesitate to castigate accordingly to the best of my conscience.

THEREFORE, I’m of the opinion that there is something wrong somewhere with this anti-corruption crusade of our President (or better to say APC government).

ONLY Wednesday, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali (a retired Army Colonel), true to his Tuesday vow, refused to appear before the Senate that, last week, ordered him to come in uniform to answer questions from them on import duties palaver.

ALI said that his decision was based on legal advice, after a lawyer had taken his case to court.  And eventually, the Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (the man appointed by President Buhari) wrote to the Senate to suspend talks on Ali matter.

HABA! Could this be the Biblical axiom “the voice is the voice of Jacob (Malami), but the hands are the hands of Esau (President Buhari)?”

THIS “affront” angered the Senators who called for Ali’ sack, saying he’s not fit to hold public office in our dear country.

AND before we could finish saying Jack Robinson on Ali’s matter, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Lawal Babachir, who was also invited by a Senate committee for Thursday, said he too would not honor the invitation.

BABACHIR’s matter is very funny and curious.  Why?  This is a Babachir who has been given another opportunity, after he shunned the first invitation, to defend himself having been indicted before, but later exonerated by our “corrupt-free President” that his “elebi” (family member) wasn’t given fair hearing, over the allegation of misappropriation of funds for the rehabilitation of the North East, the area ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents.

WHAT is SGF’s rationale for his action?  Like Ali, because he has gone to COURT to challenge his invitation, and his being investigated for the second time.

WHY would Ali and Babachir, who are appointees and kitchen cabinet of President Buhari, who see the President daily, shun the Senate and instead head to court?  Will President Buhari claim he has no hand in it, or it’s not his business because the men are individuals and adults?  But, are they not in his government?  Haba, “egbon” President Buhari!

ARE we in the season of “court” and “refusal”, particularly from President Buhari family members in government: the men he personally appointed who daily work with him?  If such men could dare the Senate, though they have the freedom to go to court to enforce their fundamental human rights, definitely there is

something wrong with our President and his anti-corruption crusade.  These are men who should lay good examples as democratic guys in a democratic government, instead of being “executively arrogant!”

IT appears to be like the current corruption war of our President is a matter of, as often alleged in some quarters, a case of selective approach, with different categories of those who can be indicted and summoned by EFCC while others stay in government to enjoy their loot, with arrogance and impunity.

TELL me, in order to spare us this melodrama, what is bad in Ali’s wearing Customs’ uniform and Babachir appearing before the Senate?  Have they forgotten that the Senate is a democratic institution, which is the symbol of the voice of the people of Nigeria?  Probably, both have something to hide from the public, which would be unfolded by the Senators should they appear before them?

I’M also afraid that the possibility of an indictment of the duo, particularly the reported untidy roles of Babachir in the North East fund management, would be highly embarrassing to the Presidency, and indeed, the man from Daura himself and Nigeria before the international community.

THE two issues are internally resolvable by the President and the leadership of APC (now All Patronising Court) headed by ex-Edo State Governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.  Where are the party management, discipline and intervention in crisis?

MATTER-OF-FACTLY, does it mean that after spending almost two months treating his ears in London (the hole in the ears should be “cleaned and wide” enough by now) President Buhari still doesn’t hear the hue and cry of Nigerians on the humongous effects of corruption on all spheres of our national life?

OR our dear President only went to London to waste thousands of scarce pounds sterling of our money expended on his treatment, including other expenses, borne by the agonising tax payers?

IF because of speaking my mind, I will be in the black book of Mr. President, I don’t mind.  I’ll rather be on the side of Nigerians than President Buhari on the Ali and Babachir “courtroversy” (court+controversy).

– Chief ‘Femi SHODUNKE, the Ba’aroyin of Igbeinland, is a journalist based in Toronto, Canada.

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