EFCC and lynch mob mentality

By Abiola Adejumo

Nigerians have good reason to keep thanking God for democracy. Chief among the ideals of democracy is the choices it avails the people of. It ensures that no man is allowed to play God in that periodically the people have the opportunity to vote out an unpopular leader. In the worst case scenario, the constitution imposes a limitation in form of terms of office. In our own case, once you serve two terms of office as president or governor, it is time for you to leave the stage for another person.

Thank God the Third Term ambition of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo failed, otherwise the nation would probably have been pushed to another civil war by now – God forbid! By the dawn of 2007, the political space had virtually been closed to opposition viewpoint in Nigeria , no thanks to Obasanjo’s dictatorial predilection. If the man had pushed through that evil plot and thus clinched his pet project of life presidency, imagine where the likes of Atiku Abubakar, Abubakar Rimi, Audu Ogbeh, Orji Kalu, Bola Tinubu would be today.

They would certainly have been forced to go into exile. With the benefit of hindsight, the public now know that the so-called anti-corruption crusade of Obasanjo was nothing but a smokescreen to commit greater graft, or at best a selective crusade against those in the bad book of the emperor of Abuja then. In this connection, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was a ready tool to hound people viciously. To be fair, EFCC has acquitted itself creditably in the battle against corrupt practices like 419 and other forms of corporate crimes. But it squandered its goodwill when it allowed itself to be enlisted to fight the political battles of the sitting president.

Then, all the Obasanjo’s attack dogs required to maul you as opponent was mere availability of petitions alleging corrupt practices against you. That alone was enough to pass guilty verdict on you. In fact, inverting the judicial norm which states that “a man is adjudged innocent until proven guilty”, EFCC’s stand-point was like this “You are presumed guilty until proven innocent!”.

In the race for the last general elections, many had their promising political careers messed up by EFCC at the instigation of the paymasters in Aso Rock. It became the responsibility of EFCC to determine who was “competent”, “clean” to seek office. Those perceived not to have supported the “Third Term” gambit were also marked out for destruction at all costs. This is the category the likes of Dr. Peter Odili belonged. His case apparently became worsened when he showed interest in the presidential race. The EFCC goons swung into action. How? Old petitions written by sworn political opponents were soon dusted up. To the almighty gods at EFCC, mere accusation already presupposes guilty!

In all of this, the game-plan was simple: portray anyone seen as posing a credible threat ahead of the then forthcoming presidential/governorship primaries of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “corrupt”. The idea was to project Baba as the only “saint” on the political field. In this regard, EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu performed creditably. Petitions by even fictitious writers were dusted up and used for blackmail.

For instance, everything was going smoothly for Rotimi Amaechi to emerge as the governorship flag-bearer of PDP in Rivers State until EFCC entered to effect its hidden agenda by listing Amaechi on the patently libelous “corruption advisory list”. Against the dictates of even natural law, the accuser here was also the investigator, the judge and the enforcer! But today, the people know better. Thank God, the court has declared such actions as null and voided to the extent that Amaechi was returned to office.

Odili was not alone. There were many other presidential hopefuls that were also marked down for destruction at all costs for daring to show interest in the “meat” Baba thought was his birthright. With the benefit of hindsight, Umaru Yar’Adua could be said to be lucky in that he did not come out too early to indicate interest in the presidential race. I am sure the mafia to which EFCC was answerable then would also have deployed it to destroy him. These were people without fear of God who were ready to slander the innocent just in order to preserve power. Not even Goodluck Jonathan, then governor of Bayelsa State , was spared of this vicious smear campaign.

Always a modest man, all he wanted was to be allowed to contest for a fresh term as governor of Bayelsa. The mafia soon went to town by spinning all manners of wicked stories against the man. But destiny had other plans.

Adejumo, a public affairs commentator is based in Lagos.