A MOUTHFUL OF NOTHINGNESS

I suppose some people may think it rather presumptuous for anyone to say that, at long last, Nigerians have a real hope of their fortunes turning around for good. That is one outstanding quality of democracy. The nascent Buhari presidency has attracted a lot of debates, controversies and discussions about the direction of government, and more specifically, the much-vaunted war on corruption. As diverse as opinions have been, and will no doubt continue to be, two realities are incontestable: the dynamics of governance have changed and the focus of government has been realigned. It is simply not business as usual.  

Buhari swept into office on the promise of change, and I haven't seen anything so far to indicate any departure from that. He promised a radical new deal and he has got down to business by diligently taking an overview of what criminal damage Jonathan and his rapacious mob wreaked on the country and what needs to be done to right the ship of state. The ROT (Rule of Thumb) is to be rid of the rot that has permeated the Nigerian political system over many decades, and elevated to unimaginable heights by Jonathan's disastrous six years in Aso Rock. I believe, most unequivocally, that Buhari has excelled in his handling of this program of change; he has been deliberate and calculating. Some may cry foul and insinuate he is targeting some perceived enemies but the preposterousness of such a stance is not lost on the long-suffering Nigerians. Detractors can make the snidest of remarks, they can talk as much tommyrot as they care to, the fight against corruption, impudence and impunity marches on. 

The foundation for a better tomorrow is being laid and a substantial part of the rebuilding process is the bringing of every single corrupter of our commonwealth to book and repatriate all expatriated funds. These are much-needed funds that would go a long way in bringing succour to Nigerians, improve healthcare, education and the much-decayed infrastructure. We have ownership of the right to claim the right of ownership to the stolen funds wherever they may be stashed, and in whatever form. This is why it is so fitting that the fumigation of the political system is starting right at the top. Bukola Saraki must face up to the questions being asked of him at the CCT instead of launching a desperate legal battle that he is most assuredly going to lose, in the context of the current political mood of the nation.

The notion of 'innocent until proven guilty' hasn't been discarded from our legal lexicon the last time I checked. So, why does he feel the need for feeling persecuted when the facts of his prosecution were made absolutely clear in the charge sheet? Shouldn't he be laying a good example, as the supposedly Number 3 citizen and head of the lawmaking arm of government, by complying with the dictates of the law? Should it matter that the offences for which he is being prosecuted occurred in 2003? Without adjudging him to be guilty just yet, one could safely allude to the fact that the regimes of impunity of the prior decade have enabled him to escape facing up to the numerous inconsistencies and outright fraudulent claims as alleged. This really has nothing to do with Buhari; an organ of state established in the Constitution is performing its constitutional duties. Saraki may sponsor bogus protests in his defence both at home and abroad, he should realize that the impunities of yesteryear have been overridden by the regime of accountability established by the new sheriff in town. I expect Saraki to be just the first of many that will, in due course, fall on their swords and disgorge all they have wrongfully gobbled up from the piggy bank of Nigerians. High time Saraki realized he's got a mouthful of nothingness, a mindful of fears and a rather lapful of problems which may render him mightily tearful in the end. The sooner he gets on with it, the better for him and the country. The queue is long, bro, so please don't hold the others up and don't be a clog in the wheel of justice. It's either 'hero' or 'zero' for him. Time will tell.
Going forward, this cleansing process would not be complete if it were limited only to politicians. These thieving politicians steal mostly by proxy, and those proxies must be sniffed out of the banking system and given the same treatment as politicians for aiding and abetting. As such, it behoves the EFCC, ICPC, CCB, Central Bank and all other relevant bodies or authorities to crank up the volume of their investigative, supervisory and prosecuting powers in tandem with the prevailing wind of change sweeping across the country. There must be cross-sharing of information and coordination of actions for the drive against corruption to properly succeed. Unexplainable and unexplained wealth must be thoroughly investigated and if need be, swiftly prosecuted without fear or favour. They can be sure that Nigerians have their back, because we simply have had enough.