Ibori’s Show Of Shame

The quest for transparency and unmitigated honesty in carrying out government affairs did not start today. That government officials, saddled with the privilege and responsibilities of public office are expected to exhibit unquestionable  integrity and openness in the conduct of government affairs is not debatable.

Trust is expensive.  When one is entrusted with the power to act on behalf of others the former must eschew cheating  corrupt practices in all ramifications to gain the confidence of the followers in order to move society forward. Afterall, the essence of good governance is the delivery of social amenities, potable water, good roads, security, affordable housing, to mention these, to enable the generality of the public go about their lawful businesses without much distraction.

But there are not so many indications that tend to show that some elements who may have found themselves in power, through hook or crook, are not working towards achieving our collective socio-economic goals. I recall that these lapses on the part of those entrusted with public office informed the raising of the Failed  Banks and the Failed Contracts tribunals by the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha. Perhaps, if he had stayed longer in power, official kleptomanics, would have fled Nigeria for good. Every well meaning citizen is bothered as to why Nigerians see cheating, corruption and broad day-light robbery as a way of life. Could this be as a result of the lame duck attitude of our law towards sundry crimes and criminals that permeate all spheres of our social lives?

In 2009, determined to reverse the trend in despicable governance, the Forum of Serving Governors in Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kennedy University, United States to undergo training in governance.

Explaining the objective of this plan, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State who was in US with his counterparts, Comrade Adams Oshiomoshile of Edo, former Kwara State governor, Dr Burkola Saraki and Bauchi governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda explained that the training would expose them to the ethics of governance and help to deepen democracy in Nigeria and for transparency and  more result-oriented delivery. But it is sad to read in our newspapers that despite efforts like this, some of our leaders still smear themselves with the indelible mud of thievery and corrupt practices with the aim of enriching themselves stupendously.

Take the Halliburton scandal as an example of one scam that has refused to be put to rest because of the caliber of Nigerians fingered in the deal, not to talk of the amount of bribe involved in the vexations bribery saga.

It was about three years ago in 2009 or thereabouts that the news broke. The story was that a Halliburton subsidiary, Kellogs Brown and Root (KBR) had admitted giving $180m bribes to some high-ranking Nigerian government officials to facilitate the award of gas contracts. The bribes were alleged to have passed hands between 1994 and 2004 during the administrations of the late General Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami and Obasanjo. Consequently, some foreigners fingered in the bribes were tried and convicted in the United States.

Following public outcry, the then Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Micheal Aondoaka revealed that $150m of the $180m had been lodged in a Swiss bank by unknown depositors. As a result of this revelation late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua raised the Okiro panel to unearth those involved in the dirty deal. There are so many dirty deals involving top Nigerians, like the Transcorp affair and many others before the current Ibori show of shame. The Ibori saga is a classic case of “many days are for the thief, one day for the owner of the house.”

This analogy stems from the fact that Ibori had had series of convictions before this recent case. For example, Ibori was in 1991 convicted for stealing from Diy Sharp, Wickes and in 1992 he was again convicted of credit card fraud. But being lucky and from a country where corruption has a place of pride, Ibori became an elected governor of Delta State in 1999. But with the sudden twist of fate after his fall from the lofty heights of a State governor in Nigeria, and his arraignment in court for money laundering, in 2007 his assets worth over $35m were frozen in the United Kingdom. He was later arrested in Dubai in May 2010 and extradited  UK in 2011 to face the law.

It is sad to know that Ibori is from the most impoverished part of Nigeria, the Niger Delta from where he stole the money meant for the development of his part of the Niger Delta and for the empowerment of his compatriots. A lawyer who does not want his name mentioned lamented that most Niger Deltans, not the least, those in power and position of authority do not seem to have the interest of the area at heart. He said that some Niger Delta leaders  cry wolf about low revenue accruals from the Federation account while they device ingenuous means to siphon the little that come their way, for their private use.

Ibori is not alone in this character trait, as reports of malfeasance by some in authority in Niger Delta, rubbishes the shout of those calling for resource control. For some,  the ample justification by  magnitude of looting of public treasury by our leaders, is our detractors who claim that we have not tasked our leaders  enough on accountability. So what lesson could be learned from the  Ibori case?

This development is indicative of the fact that the people of the Niger Delta do not hold their leaders accountable for the resources that accrue to the region. Is it not a surprise that Ibori could hoodwink the people of Delta State “The Big Heart” for eight years, during which he stole over $120m? Even if the money recovered from Ibori is returned to Delta State the fact remains that his people may have suffered deprivation of some sort in the health, education and security sectors, during his tenure.

The Nigerian Bar Association put it succinctly when it said recently that the Ibori conviction is a signal to politicians especially governors who are in the habit of plundering the peoples’ wealth that justice will one day come their way.

Thomas Abbey