Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Yes, I Pardoned A Serial Treasury Looter But What Can You Do About It? By Ogaga Ifowodo
Columnist:
Ogaga Ifowodo Presumably, President Jonathan and the members of the National Council of State who granted a state pardon for the convicted former governor of Bayelsa State, D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha, are aware of Section 14 (2) of the Constitution which states that “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be a State based on the principles of democracy and social justice,” and accordingly “sovereignty belongs to the people … from whom government … derives all its powers and authority.” It is possible that Jonathan’s image-makers, better known as his “attack lions,” believe in this principle, just as much as they believe that the people are always ignorant, misinformed, mischievous, unpatriotic and wrong. Jonathan may also remember Abraham Lincoln’s famous definition of democracy, which we all learned in secondary school, as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
Still, it is clear to the world, now more than ever before (assuming that further and better proof were ever needed) that Jonathan thinks or knows very little of the concepts of democracy and the people. Neither matters to him in his sordid game of power-for-its-own-sake. Thus, no deed appears to him too indefensible to warrant discretion. He may very well be a king since he operates by the credo of might is right. Indeed, that is what he meant when he said “I don’t give a damn” about transparency and leading by example. And that is what he has told us again by pardoning a confessed and convicted kleptomaniac who also happens to be his former boss. By this latest show of contempt for the will of the people, Jonathan thumps his chest and sneers, “Yes, I pardoned a serial treasury looter. What can you do about it?”
It explains why he hardly tried to hide his hand. For, he has to have known that his ruse of granting absolution to a poster-face of corruption by simultaneously pardoning persons “previously pardoned” would be exposed before long. But, then, Jonathan does not give a damn about what the people think; does not believe the people can think. He does not care if the world thinks as Transparency International does, that his “decision undermines anti-corruption efforts” and “encourages impunity.” Those blokes at Transparency International, like the ignorant fools under his rule, assume, erroneously, that he has to prove his anti-corruption bona fides by strengthening and not relaxing sanctions against treasury looters. One might be tempted to say that Jonathan has hammered the final nail into the coffin of the war against corruption, but that would be admitting that there was ever such a war. In any case, rather than review his action, he has set his attack lions loose on the people.
I think I know now the source of Jonathan’s ill-advised bravado, strikingly unbecoming of one whose ascent to power has been more a matter of sheer good luck (I can’t tire of the pun) than merit or accomplishment. In being so dismissive of Jonathan as weak, clueless and totally out of his depth as president, we may have unwittingly created a political monster. Like the poor boy picked upon by every kid in the schoolyard and neighbourhood and who, to restore his dignity, finally takes a stand, Jonathan is now totally blind to reason or consequence. He will take on all comers, even if every one of them be twice his weight; even if he must spit in the face of the people at every turn. At least, then he can go to bed beating his chest and saying out loud, “I did it! That should teach them to call me weak and clueless!” Every serious decision has become for him an occasion to assert his political manhood. The unreflective display of machismo is spawned by a desire to appear strong and decisive. In short, Jonathan is governed by the fear of being thought weak, like the tragic Okonkwo in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.
Yet, there are better ways for Jonathan to prove his political manhood. He could, for instance, have publicly declared his assets, thereby assuming the role of commander-in-chief of a real war against corruption. Or implemented all the recommendations of the Justice Uwais panel on electoral reform, thereby going against self-interest and the entrenched privileges of the powerful few who profit from rigged elections. Or prosecuted and jailed the trillion-naira oil subsidy thieves that bled the country white. He could convene or facilitate a sovereign national conference at which, for the first time since independence, we as a free people would agree on the articles of association for a prosperous, peaceful and equitable nation. He could … but none of these would project the image he craves of a strongman in a tall hat; they smack of bending to the will of the people, which is incompatible with an I-don’t-give-a-damn philosophy of governance.
Yet, for all the great wisdom we have been told informed the pardon, one crucial detail was omitted: an unreserved apology to Alamieyeseigha for his conviction in the first place. After all, how many treasury looters have been asked to explain the source of their instant wealth, never mind being charged to court? Bode George, Tafa Balogun …the few who did not get away scot free, must be wondering how much longer they must wait before getting their pardon.
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USELESS THIEVES IN POWER
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 22, 2013 - 14:20.
Let us put things in the right perspective, not minding the brouhaha over the controversial pardon. The president and the Council of State did not and cannot exonerate Alamieyeseigha. They never said and cannot say that he did not commit any crime. He was an ex-convict and only ex-convicts could be granted pardon. He will always remain one, especially in the minds of the people. This can never be expunged. At best what the pardon could confer is to make it possible for him to reoffer himself to the people for service. If he does that, it would now be up to the people to decide to forgive him or not. Thieving lunatics.
Remember: I'm Clueless!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 21, 2013 - 13:53.
Nigerian is a country where the mentally retarded direct the affairs of the sane. If anyone was in doubt before about this claim, well they should look no further. GEJ has just proven that even though he's a doctor of zoology, he intellectual ability below that of a 10 year-old. Even, a 10 year-old has a lot of clues. Yet, again GEJ has proven to Nigerians and the world that he's clueless.
@deri. get a life or a job
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 21, 2013 - 11:19.
@deri. get a life or a job cos it's obvious u're jobless
Abati is made or life
Submitted by Emekaaku (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 23:53.
Abati will never eyed to work again, nor his children, grand children and great grand children after him! Think, he was given a hose in Abuja before he accepted the position. What will he now not freely get.
Deri the blind
Submitted by Ibraheem Adam (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 20:32.
Its a pity that Deri never sees why others do. Deri is blind at heart. The mind set is programmed to ethnicity and regionalism and masked with stupidity. Deri I pity youuu.
CORRUPTION
Submitted by Abednego (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 16:06.
Corruption is NOT fueled by greed, poverty, indiscipline, obsession with materialism, lack of ethical and moral standards etc. Corruption is the direct consequence of under-development. Because the country is under-developed, public office, for e.G. has become so highly lucrative that political offices and even civil service positions are worth killing for. I agree that there is direct link between corruption, effective democratic governance and sustainable development. The level of corruption currently prevalent will significantly reduce if the country is developed. Roads are repaired, public schools are upgraded to a high standard, water and electricity are available publicly, housing is affordable, employment is created. The gap between the rich and the poor reduced. The motivation to steal public funds will reduce, if not disappear. BUT will these looters understand that this is what we need. FOR WHERE? DREAM ON!
GEJ HONOURED BY US GOVT!
Submitted by Justice (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 13:21.
A statement signed Monday by White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, and posted on the White House website said; President Obama has invited the presidents of Sierra Leone, Malawi, Senegal and Cape Verde to join him next week Thursday for the summit. Going by Nigeria’s leadership role in the continent, especially in the West African sub-region, the exclusion is a public repudiation of President Jonathan and a slap on the face of Nigeria and its claims to continental leadership as the giant of Africa.
Coming in the wake of strong American reservations over the pardon Jonathan granted his former boss, Alamieyeseigha, keen political observers were quick to point out that Jonathan’s exclusion from the meeting is a further display of White House anger and disapproval of the controversial pardon.
Good piece, keep it up!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 12:17.
This's a nice catalogue of the issues troubling the country. Sometimes, i'm not so much bothered by GEJ himself as we all agree he's a lame duck, but what disturbs me most is the circle of supossedly intelligent people that surround him - Abati, for example.
I wonder what Abati would do after leaving office. Go back to the Guardian and write again about the ills of our society?
I'm curious!
Options to Bad Governance in Nigeria
Submitted by augustine akinyemi (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 09:50.
First, Nigerians cannot afford to lose hope over GEJ, who happens to be a product of natural law of homogenity in bad governance. Brought up by OBJ and the system entrenched in the country since 1999, he just cannot be otherwise.
Now, what we can do:
1/ Encourage a new set of leadership, perhaps from a new Party, with diferent political ideology, outside super-capitalism(as being practiced now)- a modified socialist system that can move money to the masses without really hurting the money-bags.
2/ A president/party that can cap(by law) money in any Nigerian personal account to not more N100,000,000; any money in excess of this be invested in a company/industry and be taxed.
3/ Institutons should be empowered to entrench this system, which will create jobs, induce a sense of security and above all peace.
It is obvious that corruption in the country is fuelled by our excessive worship of money and this must stop!
TAKE A STAND 2015.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 20, 2013 - 08:09.
I dare to say we can all do something in 2015. This is our country and we can't change the fact. Even if you are given citizenship in America, you are still addressed as NIGERIAN-AMERICAN. The campaign for 2015 has started and the politicians are already saving money for the show down. There are overhead tanks, soak away, and fire proof save being built as they no longer use banks. They are splitting the loot among associates in crime who keep the loot in trust in business bank accounts. But we must all determine to right the wrong come 2015. The biggest question is WHO/WHERE ARE THE ALTERNATIVES. That remains my dilemma.
Does not trouble me!
Submitted by Azibaola (not verified) on March 19, 2013 - 22:51.
I dont see anything technically wrong with Jonathan's action. The constitution grants the President the power to pardon. Pardon implies a sin was commited. Why give the president the power to pardon if he cannot use it. Alams has done his time after he was driven into jail by Obasanjo who was himself an ex-convict. Nigerians did not complain when he ran for presidency as an ex convict. Jonathan granting Pardon to Alams does not take anything away from the fact that Alams is not the first. As for Obama and Bill gates, they can stay back in the US and mind their business as they are not fit to comment on issues surrounding corruption being citizens of the most corrupt nation in the world
It seems he does not even
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 19, 2013 - 22:22.
It seems he does not even know the meaning of serial-You call Alameisigha a serial treasury looter? How many times was he in government. All these semi ibo people! He needs to go back to school. Then what name or phrase would u give Buhari/Lukman?
Rather than have this jonkoku
Submitted by DERI (not verified) on March 19, 2013 - 22:14.
Rather than have this jonkoku from Asaba, fight for the creation of Anioma state with all his might, he is gone to d USA, where he works to lure ppl into hiring him to sing the praise of Uduaghan for a fee! At least man must survive so no qualms with that sha! People who are worst than Alams, now want to show us how their leaders betrayed us-in the former Mid Western region-Look at him pretending to know better than President Frankling Roosevelt who pardoned over 3,687 Americans during his time in the White House. I don't blame him-its the Amaechi, Alams, Dicksons and Sylvas who used them to enslave the people of the zone that should be held responsible for those working to economically strangle the state to submission-the same parasites they feed with our oily resources- Well why should they not betray us? Having repaired their dry bones in our fattening rooms-free to insult our hospitality? Animals
It is only a matter of time
Submitted by olumuyi (not verified) on March 19, 2013 - 21:02.
We survived IBB and abacha. Goodluck will go in shame-It is only a matter of time.
My dear Ogaga, what really
Submitted by Odiri C. Oghre (not verified) on March 19, 2013 - 19:59.
My dear Ogaga, what really can we do? That is the million dollar question. We all seem impotent, and that has made these pretenders in the corridors of power even more daring. In a democracy, Jonathan would not dare do what he has done. But then we practice democracy only in name in Nigeria. The time has come for us all, especially those in the diaspora to leave the comfort of our 24hr power supply in countries built with the blood of martyrs and return to reclaim and rebuild our father land. Otherwise, we should simply shut up and let the politicians have their fill.
As beautiful as you write, do
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 19, 2013 - 19:16.
As beautiful as you write, do you really want to tell me that you didn't know that Jonathan was such a person you may have voted for. I bet you, this guy does not know that we have a constitution or what democracy is all about. Just imagine all the money that are flying out of our treasury like as if this it's their personal bank account. Billions and billions of dollars stolen under this man's watch and all you all do is write so fancy about it each time. So how do you intend to get your country back? Oh when he runs again in 2015 and spends every dime in the treasury to buy the election again?. Save all these complaints for the birds in the tree. The fact of the matter is Nigerians can't do a damn thing about this pardon. Articulate to me what they can do about it. Nothing!!! That's why more billions would be stolen in the next few years left in his tenure.
