Reps And Corruption Allegations

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, last week accused her chief investigator, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market, Hon. Hernan Hembe of demanding N44m bribe and caused a nationwide stir.

Ms Oteh who was facing a House of Representatives investigation into alleged corruption and ineptitude, also raised other issues that are capable of indicting some honourable members of the House of Representatives.

However, Hon Hembe has denied that his committee or himself as the chairman ever requested for any kind of gratification. Rather he accused the SEC Board and the DG of enticing the honourable members with the approval of the sum of N30million.

Either way, the request and offer of bribe was made but establishing who the culprits are is the question, and this, if not properly answered can make a non-sense of the anti-corruption efforts of the country.

On the other hand, the general public must not be distracted from the allegations levelled against the SEC boss in the first place.  Her accusation against the chairman of the committee that was investigating her should not be allowed to serve as a smokescreen on the petition raised against her by her staff.

But her allegations against the committee are too weighty to ignore as the outburst of an angry woman.  Apart from the claim that they demanded N44m bribe, the suggestion that House members demanded money from the people they are investigating is unthinkable, no matter the purpose.

Obviously, Nigerians are more interested in sincere efforts at tackling corruption issues especially among public officers, than in such futile blame game that ends in whistle blowing. That is why we think that between the Representatives and the capital market officials, some persons should be prosecuted for abusing their offices.

The allegation that they demanded and got money for foreign trip which did not take place and also failed to refund such money cannot also be the best conduct of public officials, especially those invested with the authority to investigate and pass judgment on others.

These issues are even more worrisome considering the fact that the House cannot be said to lack money to fund the activities of their committees.  Only recently, the House members raised their quarterly allowance from N15m to N27m with the excuse that they did not want members to be tempted during their oversight functions.

We want to be the first to deny that the House members actually demanded anything from Ms Oteh, but that patriotic responsibility cannot work in the best interest of our country.  In fact, that she said it to their faces gave some validity to the whole episode.

That perhaps gave credence to the resignation of the committee chairman and its members, and the setting up of an adhoc committee.  Besides, we believe that the only way fairness can be assured is its investigation by a neutral body like the EFCC.

We think it is right that the authorities are taking steps and quickly too to clear the allegations hanging over the honourable members but the anti-corruption agencies are better placed to deal with this matter this time around.

The House of Representatives is a very important national institution and one that must be associated with honour and trust always.  There is no reason why such an important institution should be allowed to be dragged to the mud by a few individuals.

In fact, as part of their oversight functions they are expected to uncover corruption and direct the punishment of anyone so convicted. But if these same people collect money, they are likely to create a double tragedy by covering the culprits and further exposing the economy to unbridled pillage.

As respected representatives of the people who are also well remunerated, the country expects a minimum level of honour from them. Our legislators should not only become the change agents, as the only arm that was not present in military regimes; they must give reasons to believe in the efficacy of democracy.

Much as the National Assembly generally may have done well over the years, they must also take interest in protecting their common image. That is why they must, in fact, take up the matter that insinuates that one of them was putting his finger too deep in oil that could soil all of them.

Like all well meaning Nigerians, The Tide demands that the truth be established in the petition against Ms Oteh as well as in the allegation against the Chairman of the House Committee. We demand that the guilty be made to face the music.