On the Siemens’ bribery scandal
The Nigeria Voters
Assembly is not
shocked by the news from the Siemens scandal despite its embarrassment to international friends of Nigeria and its implication on social poverty. If anything, the scandal is a vindication of the VOTAS consistent belief that only a few of the people who served in the Obasanjo administration can be said to be above board.
What should be surprising to Nigerians is the names of suspects mentioned in the bribery allegation. These are people one would readily vouch for given their ages and antecedents.
The mentioning of these names, however, has raised the stake for the administration of Chief Obasanjo who spent colossal amount of money to wage war against corruption and campaign for probity, transparency and due process.
The revelations from the scandal has made such efforts most pretentious and exposed the treachery behind its prosecution under the eight years of Chief Obasanjo’s rule, for never in the history of Nigeria has any administration accused from all rounds, and in the worst terms, as the Obasanjo administration.
The public service under his rule was seen to be the worst when ethics of public service was un-revivably dead.
Social services were left in handcuffs throughout the eight years, while poverty and insecurity enveloped every strata of the nation.
Unemployment reached its highest level, inflation became the order of the day and service credibility fell to the bottom line.
The Siemens bribery candal confirms the fears always expressed by Nigerians international trading partners that cost of doing business is ever high in Nigeria given the selfish desire of those put in charge of public service delivery who usually elevate their self interest above the nation’s.
The bribery scandal therefore needs to be seriously investigated by the EFCC to redeem the country’s image, so as not to reduce the much desired steady flow of foreign investment needed to deflate and stabilize the economy.
The Yar’Adua administration, which took over from the Obasanjo administration from a position of weakness given the monumental fraud that trailed the election which saw it to office, needs to demonstrate the attitude of no business as usual before Nigerians and the world with the manner of its response to the issue of bribery and corruption, standing up stoutly against all unethical practices that are reported until the culprits are investigated and brought to book. This will disinfect the corrupt attitude of public officers and ensure official graft is stopped from being a culture and character of public service in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Voters Assembly call on the federal government to wash itself clean of any collusion or action in concert that may give the impression of cover up in this Siemens sacandal and others.
The EFCC should give a report of the investigation to the National Assembly, which in turn should address the nation on the scandal.
Culprits found guilty should be made to refund what they might have shared and all their assets confiscated, as there will be no doubting the fact that those assets were obtained through fraudulent means.
At the end, they must be charged to court in accordance with the anti-graft laws and dealt with accordingly so as to serve as deterrence to those still serving.
Comrade Mashood Erubami, President,
Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS)
P.O. Box 1084 Agodi, Ibadan.
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