CHAIN REACTION

I was casually reading a blog last week when I stumbled across a dear friend’s summary of the state of Nigeria today. I focused particularly on what she saw as double standards in the way our leaders were dealing, or rather not dealing, with the deep rooted corruption in our polity and the impact that this was having on the nation.

“In terms of corruption, we seem to have reached dizzying heights with a judge giving a convicted criminal two years imprisonment and the option of a fine for embezzling N23 billion. Not to mention all the revelations of the pension fraud cases and Maina’s disappearing act! Nothing came of that and it is not likely that the case will ever be concluded, but the National Assembly are still calling for the blood of the aviation minister for the purchase of two bullet proof cars at exorbitant prices. Whilst I believe she has a case to answer, I can’t help feeling that they should also be explaining why Hembe, Farouk Lawan and Dimeji Bankole are still walking free and they don’t seem to have an issue with it. Double standards if you ask me!”

I got a ping on my phone as a legislator responded to her blog stating as follows: “I must join issues with you on the point of the National Assembly asking for the aviation minister’s blood, as you put it, but not seeing anything wrong with Hembe, Lawan and Bankole walking free. First it is not the National Assembly asking for the aviation minister’s blood but the average Nigerian on the street. All the National Assembly did (specifically the House) was to investigate the matter as it should and as it is constitutionally empowered to and come up with its findings and recommendations based on evidence as any responsible legislature should. Checks and balances, it’s called.

“Secondly, as it relates to the 3 persons you mentioned, they were accused of impropriety and were investigated by the House committee on ethics and consequently stripped of their chairmanship positions and offices, whilst recommending that the law enforcement agencies should pursue the criminal cases against them. This is all the House is empowered to do. It cannot remove them from the House nor can it prosecute them or anyone for that matter. That is the job of the law enforcement agencies, i.e. the police and the EFCC. As we know in today’s Nigeria these are really extensions of the presidency and if they are walking free or have not been tried, then that blame should be put squarely at the doorstep of the EFCC, police or the executive and not the House. All the House is asking is that the President do the same thing the House did in respect of its erring members: remove the aviation minister from her position. I believe this is also the minimum Nigerians are asking for.”

What I found baffling here is that the legislator feels that they have done their job. He talked of checks and balances, where are they when nothing has been done except that these guys have been removed from juicy committees and probably been replaced with the same corrupt members who know that the worst that can happen is that they will be removed from a committee?

Why do they not understand that they the legislators are representatives of the people and should not distinguish themselves from us? We are they and they are us. They should be up in arms baying for the head of the EFCC and the police and ensuring that these checks and balances are protected. How can you feel as a chief engineer of a plant that you have diagnosed a problem and feel that your job is done? What we the masses need from you are solutions, corrections and representations of our will, otherwise you have no business representing us.

The result of their actions, which really is just sugarcoating, is the minister of aviation doing what she did and not feeling any way that she has done anything wrong. Little wonder Oduah travelled to Brazil amidst a fresh allegation over her education. What our legislators have achieved is giving the executive more bravado to do worse. What is being created is the fanning of a nascent dictatorship with the executive being all powerful. We are sliding down a slippery slope and need to arrest this situation now, before we find ourselves in a South Sudan or Syria situation. And in this, we the masses appear to be on our own. Our institutions only exist for themselves.