Bringing corrupt past governors to justice

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to revisit corruption cases involving former state governors represents a bold move to refocus the ongoing anti-graft crusade to embrace a vital segment that has been seemingly overlooked over the years. Up to this moment, corruption cases against governors have mostly attracted tepid responses. However, the success of this reanimation, as with other corruption battles, will depend largely on the sincerity of purpose by the judiciary, especially the willingness of judges to sanction established treasury looters. So far, this has been lacking.

There is no doubt that many state governors have the tendency to be corrupt because of the enormity of resources under their control and the immunity they enjoy from prosecution, while in office. It is for this reason that the Presidency is taking a step to review such cases already investigated by the anti-graft agencies, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with a view to prosecuting them. Some of them date back to 2003.

In stating the government’s intent, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has been quoted as saying, “It is the position of the present administration that these suspects must be prosecuted in line with the anti-corruption agenda of the government.”Prosecuting all Nigerians, regardless of class or political standing, who might have criminally enriched themselves at public expense, is the only way to send a strong message to other corrupt individuals that it will no longer be business as usual. As a segment of government that controls about 47 per cent of accruals to the Federation Account – both its own share and that of the local governments, which it routinely illegally appropriates – any government professing to be fighting corruption without beaming its searchlight on the activities of governors cannot be deemed to be serious.