Probing Previous Governments Is Not A Witch-hunt, It Is A Necessity

Editor’s note: The Naij.com columnist ‘Yomi Kazeem maintains that probing previous governments might prove to be the right kind of step on President Muhammadu Buhari’s part. In addition to being a strong and bold move to show everyone that, indeed, not a single individual will be spared in the Buhari-led government’s clampdown on corrupt practices, this could also be, Mr Kazeem says, a means of getting back the money appropriated by the light-fingered officials of the past administrations.

Not many men who have been involved in the Nigerian politics for extended periods of time still have their reputation as well as their integrity intact. Given that ours is a country where corruption is, in the best case, ignored or, in the worst case, rewarded, it is no surprise that a fair number of political leaders and office-holders have found it all too appealing to engage in underhand practices at the expense of Nigerians.

However, while many struggle with tainted reputations and trailing scandals, it is perhaps fitting that the current president, Muhammadu Buhari, who is set to lead Nigeria’s most daring fight against corruption in the last few decades, is one man who has managed to avoid corruption scandals despite occupying a number of sensitive offices.

With a strong anti-graft reputation, the electorate knew exactly what they would get by voting Buhari into office. Less than a hundred days into his tenure, he is already making moves to suggest that he will be going after those who diverted state funds and resources. Interestingly, there are some who think the president should simply draw a line under the events of the past and move on, and there are those who even regard the president’s actions are a witch-hunt of sorts. The truth, though, is that probing the past governments is crucial not just for the present, but also for the future. In simpler terms, Buhari must probe the past administration and penalize any individuals found guilty.

Redefining precedents

In law, judicial precedents are commonplace. Cases are decided and resolved based on rulings in similar cases before it. In other words, the penalties and rewards for previous cases are often used as a framework to decide new similar ones. The same logic loosely applies to why corruption has thrived so much in Nigeria. No-one gets punished, and as a result, more leaders find it easier to indulge themselves — and their bank accounts. This is why President Buhari must take a stand and redefine how corruption works.

By literally laying down the law against corruption, President Buhari can alter behavioral patterns of political office-holders. Stealing public funds and getting a flimsy rebuke can no longer be tolerated, and should the president need some inspiration, he can look to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, whose fight against corruption is quickly achieving legendary status.

The perception of a lack of real punishment and penalties for corruption-related offences must change, and by probing and penalizing recent and previous offenders, President Buhari will be laying a precedent which will hopefully be maintained by others after him.

Stolen money can still be useful money

Asides the penal angle of probes, there is a real possibility that asides convicting guilty persons, stolen money can be recovered.

Recent news of international cooperation from banks where stolen funds have been stashed also suggests that this train is moving in the right direction. Given the dire straits many states find themselves in with the inability to pay salaries and meet running costs, recovering stolen money seems less of a witch-hunt and more of a necessity.

As much as $150 billion may have been stolen, and as mind boggling as that figure might be, it could be even more. As such, President Buhari will be doing Nigerians a disservice by looking away. With pressing needs such as equipping the military, financing the multi-national joint task force and fixing refineries, probing and extracting these stolen funds is the right thing to do. All talk of a witch-hunt is quite misplaced but all the same, it cannot be entirely discarded.

It will be difficult to argue that only elements in the Peoples Democratic Party are corrupt and that members of the president’s party are not. For this battle against corruption to be rightfully commended and seen to be without bias, it cannot be one-sided.

Ending corruption in Nigeria will not be easy or quick, but if President Buhari does what many expect and hope he will as regards fighting it, he will have earned a fair number of the millions of votes that got him office.

‘Yomi Kazeem for Naij.com

‘Yomi Kazeem is a media professional based in Lagos, Nigeria.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com, its editors or other contributors.

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