PMB and the struggle for a clean society

By Ignatius Arinze

Corruption is so deep- seated and pervasive in Nigeria that it has made it difficult, if not impossible for the country to find its bearing. In various facets of life, we see the impact of corruption. The nation’s infrastructure is dilapidated, education, health, sanitation, power and housing all are in need of urgent attention. Rather than attend to it, public officials see any effort to improve infrastructure and services in the country, as an opportunity to make money at the expense of the society!
In such a society, any committed leadership or a political party in power would have a hard time getting its acts together or fulfilling election promises. This is the case with President Muhammadu Buhari or Mr. Integrity who has been accused of recent, with his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) of failure to fulfil campaign promises. We posit the question, as to ‘’if a president or party in power seek to fulfil campaign promises to the people and when it sets out discovers that the society is reeking with corruption and deep- seated stealing culture among civil servants, public officials and the citizenry in large part, how much of its election promises can it really fulfil?
Most public enterprises, ministries and departments of government reek with the stench of corruption and that is why people talk of the divine nature of the Buhari Presidency. Buhari is the one sent to unmask the rot, pillage and unconscionable looting of the nation’s resources by those who are her privileged children. In eighteen years of democracy and with the enormous financial resources that accrued to the nation from the sale of crude oil, what excuse, has Nigeria got that most of its critical highways and public institutions of higher learning are not of the highest quality? Unfortunately, those who were in power at all levels, since 1999, following the bad example of those at the top, frittered away most of the resources of the nation in a vain display of opulence and love for a life of luxury.
Within the period, rather than give the nation first class road infrastructure, railways, seaports and quality and comfortable airports as well as a national airline with affordable domestic air connection to the capitals of all Nigeria’s states, those in power in the then Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which is now working hard for rebirth, looted the common patrimony for the purpose of self- aggrandizement and greed. These people, notably those in government for whatever reason denied their country, their communities the opportunity of modernization and development through using resources at their disposal to put up modern amenities and infrastructure including drinking water, public toilets and affordable modern housing for the people. Most of them, including the Dasuki’s, Okonjo- Iweala’s, Obasanjo’s and Diezani Allison- Madueke and their maniacal compatriots at various levels of authority both in government and the ruling party, bought properties in foreign countries in Europe and North America at the expense of investment here at home.
The popular lawyer, Femi Falana, and other well- meaning Nigerians, likened these thieving public officials and civil servants as having committed ‘ a crime against humanity’, demanding that the International Criminal Court help Nigeria to further investigate and put them on trial.
The unbridled and brazen corruption perpetrated by these people, and former President Jonathan who was leader of the country when these evil took place ruined the nation’s economy, ruined the lives of millions of Nigerians by sentencing them to extreme poverty and mass unemployment and terminated the lives of hundreds of Nigerian soldiers and civilians whom the Boko Haram killed because the Nigerian Army was not well- equipped to confront terrorists who invaded the country. As President Buhari noted in his media chat sometime in 2016, about two million Nigerians are today, living like refugees in internally displaced camps across the country as in a period of war!
Thankfully, all hope is not lost. President Buhari’s anti- corruption war, despite the cynicism of partakers in the ruinous national looting, is having the desired impact, nationally and internationally. In the domestic realm, to the unsuspecting average Nigerian, the true status of many so called big men, and Jonathan’s big boys are now clear. In a place like China, what would happen to these people is clear and unambiguous, rule of law or no rule of law! Members of the former ruling PDP party, remorseful at the degree of damage done to the nation under their rule, have also come out to support the anti- corruption war!
Until recently, whenever the list of the most corrupt countries in the world is published, Nigeria normally occupied a prominent place. That has changedand it is still changing! In the latest listing of corrupt countries of the World, Nigeria’s name is conspicuously missing. Wait a minute, don’t say something is wrong with the list or that it is inconclusive. Transparency International is usually meticulous and is never off the mark in this noble task of telling nations how corrupt or clean they are. It is the Buhari phenomenon, his body language, his known abhorrence against corruption that has put Nigeria in a different class where the corrupt are afraid and the national thieves and compromised officials have been unmasked.
Nigeria’s image is changing! The country is now seen in a better light as a country that wants to do things differently. ! As is said in popular official parlance, the Nigerian government is making the right noise or striking the right cord with the on- going anti- corruption campaign. That is a major achievement for which Muhammadu Buhari can boast bearing in mind that among his campaign promises, is to wage a war against corruption and graft.
It should be noted that Transparency International is not alone in recognizing and commending the value which the anti- corruption war of PMB has added to the integrity of the nation. The head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, during a recent visit to Nigeria, drew attention to the importance of the anti- corruption war for Nigeria’s economic recovery and its future economic emancipation. Similarly, the European Union is on the same platform with the Nigerian government on the anti- corruption war. European Union envoy to Nigeria, Michel Arrion, revealed that the organization would partner to make the anti- corruption campaign of the Buhari administration a success because of its inherent benefits in changing and laying a better foundation for society.
One agrees with critics of President Buhari that the war against corruption has not gone far enough and that very few, if any of the known corrupt persons have been sanctioned or are in prison. Again, this is due to the strong grip of corruption among the people to the extent that all sorts of impediments are put before anti- corruption agencies by the culprits and their backers.Second, there have been stories though unverified, of corruption within the PMB government. This presents its own challenge because President Buhari may fight and abhor corruption but same might not be true with all of his aides. Credible Nigerians including Professor Itsay Sagay, Head of the Presidential Anti- Corruption Committee have said as much.
In spite of the country’s woes and shortcomings, and against the background of complaints by the political opposition that President Buhari has not met his campaign promises, it is important to note that Rome was not built in a day.
More than any Nigerian leader since 1999, President Muhammadu Buhari, has done a lot to put in the consciousness of Nigerians, the importance of working towards a clean and corruption- free society.
Ignatius Arinze, a Public Affairs Analyst wrote from Abuja.