A lot happened in the Nigerian political scene last week. Among them include some hilarious events that left many flabbergasted.
FirstNews picks some of these stories and makes a passing comment on their implications and why they should bother us.
1. Tinubu’s case file disappearance
One of the events that amazed Nigerians last was the news that the case file of a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, in Code of Conduct Bureau is ‘missing’.
The news which circulated on Tuesday, March 9, and elicited different reactions from Nigerians happened on the heels of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission desires to revisit corruption allegations against APC leader, a former Lagos State governor.
According to Peoples Gazette, a top management official at the bureau revealed that CCB “have searched for the case file everywhere because we want to comply with the lawful request made by the EFCC.
“We have not been able to find the documents either at the main head office or the annex office in Asokoro.
We cannot find the asset documents at all. “We cannot even find photocopies that we can certify for the EFCC.”
Implications: Although the missing of Tinubu’s case file has not been verified, however, it is very ridiculous that in this 21st century, this sort of story still happens in Nigeria. Maybe soon, Nigerians will be told that the snake that swallowed JAMB N36million came and swallowed the document including its photocopies or the monkey that swallowed N70million belonging to northern senators did.
One can but only imagine how the CCB in this computerized age is talking of not finding photocopies of the document. Is it that they do not have soft copies of the document stored in different computers and hardware?
It is important politicians and leaders of this country know that Nigerians are not fools. At best, the file missing claim serves as a fairy tale that can only be told to the mountains.
2. Buhari’s endless warnings
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday, March 13, issued yet another warning against criminals. He has always issued similar warnings and they appear not to be yielding any meaningful result.
The latest warning came after bandits, a day earlier, attacked the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Mando area of Kaduna State. Efforts by the military reportedly saw 180 of the students rescued while the criminals abducted 39 students, who have remained in their captivity.
In a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari, “issued a stern warning to would-be terrorists and bandits targeting schools, saying the country will not allow the destruction of the school system.”
Implication: For many Nigerians, it has become laughable how President Buhari continues to issue warning to criminal on a weekly, if not daily basis. It is even more ridiculous that these warnings appear not to be yielding any result and yet they still keep coming.
It is important that the President and his spokesmen understand that Nigerians have become weary of empty and endless warnings. They want to see the government they elected into power to primarily secure their lives and properties live up to their duty and end the madness happening in schools in the not and other crimes being perpetrated by bandits, terrorist Boko Haram, killer herdsmen, kidnappers among others under this ‘government’s nose’.
3. Missing of arms fund
Also considered highly ridiculous last week was the alleged claim by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno that some funds meant for the acquisition of ammunitions to further strengthen the nation’s anti-terrorism fight got missing under the leadership of the immediate past service chiefs.
Monguno had while speaking during an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, March 12, said: “We don’t know where the money went to. The president has given out some money for equipment but they are yet to arrive… Mr President is going to investigate those funds. $1 billion has been released and nothing seems to be changing. So, I assure you that the president will not take this lightly.
“The funds are nowhere to be found and the weapons have not been seen and the newly appointed service chiefs have declared that they have not seen the weapons. Maybe they are on the high seas, on their way coming from wherever they were purchased, from the US or Europe, but for now, there is nothing on the ground. I have not seen anything the service chiefs have also not seen anything.”
Implication: The efforts by the NSA to deny making the claims is unnecessary. If there is anything he succeeded in doing, it is mocking the country even more. Like many political observers have argued, evidence that the $1 billion might have since grown wings and flew away or even swallowed by a wild animal is too glaring for all to see.
It does not matter whether Monguno denies the claim or not. What is obvious is that it is no news to many Nigerians that the insurgency fight in the country may have become a huge money-making business.
4. Amaechi’s brag
It was funny to many Nigerian’s watching the former Rivers State governor and current Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi said he cannot bring himself low to the level of his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike.
The minister speaking when he appeared on an Arise TV programme on Thursday, March 11, said, “I don’t think I want to address the issue of the governor (Wike); I have made my point. I have moved on. He was my staff; I can’t bring myself low. I was a governor, I was also a speaker, I’m a minister. I was the two-term chairman of the governors’ forum. The same when I was a speaker. Why should I be discussing about him (Wike)?”
Implication: Wike as the Chief of Staff under Amaechi’s government, the minister may not have been wrong to describe him as his staff.
However, for Amaechi to say he cannot bring himself low to Wike’s level, smacks of arrogance and pride. If not for arrogance of power, which often is exhibited by most Nigerian politicians, Amaechi should have understood that in Nigeria and in several other places, many politicians have risen to greater height in politics than those they once served under.
More ridiculous in Amaechi’s comment is going ahead to justify his egotistical statement by listing the political offices he has held and the one he presently holds.
5. Fight over Ibori’s loot
On Tuesday, March 9, the United Kingdom’s government and that of Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the return of the sum of £4.2 million looted by a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.
What followed the announcement was the ‘fight’ between the Federal Government and the Delta State government on who uses the money and what it should be used for.
While the Federal Government said it would use the fund for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano road and Lagos-Ibadan Express Road, Delta State government argued that the money, since stolen from the state’s treasury, belongs to it and should be used outside the state.
Implication: For many Nigerians, it was interesting watching the governments fight over Ibori’s loot. Remembering how the Nigerian government frustrated the trial of Ibori in the UK by rejecting the request to make relevant documents available for the trial ion the ground of sovereignty makes it even more interesting.
Like was confirmed by a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), in particular, denied entertaining the request of the UK Metropolitan Police on the trial.
Rather than fight over recovered looted funds, Nigerians want the government to go after many politicians, including top officials in the current government, accused of corruption to recover their loots.
The ridiculous thing is that if Ibori were to have been tried in Nigeria, both the federal governmenf and Delta government may not have had any money to fight for.
There is God-o-o-o!!!
FirstNews Political Roundup returns next week.