Politics
Cleric Seeks Ex-Convicts’ Hall Of Shame
The Primate of Church of
the Lord Worldwide, Rev. Rufus Ositelu, has called on Federal Government to set up National Hall of Shame for convicted officials.
A statement in Lagos yesterday said the Primate made the call during the grand finale of the 80th Tabieorar celebration in Ogere-Remo in Ogun.
Ositelu said that photographs of convicted persons with details of their crimes should be publicly displayed for posterity.
He said this would serve as deterrent to prospective unpatriotic and corrupt persons.
The primate urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to relent in his fight against corruption, stressing that corruption had been the monster that had eaten deep into the fabrics of Nigerian economy.
Ositelu said that the government should create special courts to adjudicate on corrupt cases.
He said that that all hands must be on deck to fight corruption so that Nigeria could move forward.
“Transparency, accountability, good governance and the fear of God should be the watchwords,” he said.
The primate who said that there should not be abject poverty in a country with abundant human and natural resource attributed the poverty in Nigeria to greed and corruption in high places, adding that corruption had led to social deprivation, insecurity, criminality and kidnapping.
Ositelu also called on the government to use intelligence information to drive security security forces to forestall criminality, saying that he supported state policing because the federal policing system was grossly inadequate and ill-equipped to cope with the current security challenges.
Ositelu stressed the need to return the Chibok girls to their parents, while the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) should be properly rehabilitated.
According to him, the government should provide good schools, hospitals and other social amenities for the citizenry.
He expressed regret that public schools were introducing religious dresses, an action, he described as planting the seed of discord in the psyche of future leaders of the country.
Ositelu also condemned the high rate of unemployment in the country, especially among the youths and called on the government to correct the infrastructural deficit currently militating against the growth of the economy.
He said that the call for immunity and life pension for legislators was not in the public interest in a country currently battling with corruption among public officials.
According to him, part-time legislature will discourage the “infiltration” of the National Assembly by indolent, corrupt and selfish individuals.
Ositelu condemned the culture of constituency projects by the legislators, which he said, usurped powers of the executive arm of government.
The primate said he welcomed elimination of wastages in government through merging of government agencies with overlap functions, especially the merging of EFCC and ICPC.
Ositelu called for far reaching reforms in the judiciary to bring corrupt judges and their accomplices to book in order to restore the dignity and credibility of the judiciary.
Accordingg to the statement, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF, noted with very grave concern the recent spate of political developments in Rivers State.
“Regrettably, these developments have now degenerated into the decision of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor and deputy governor.
“This is a deeply disturbing situation that demands urgent attention in order to forestall further escalation and breakdown of law and order.
“This concern is heightened by the critical importance and strategic centrality of Rivers to the Niger Delta region and to the broader socio-political stability and economic wellbeing of Nigeria as a whole”, the statement said.
The Forum called on all parties involved in the resurgent political imbroglio to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.
“This should be guided by the principles of give-and-take, dialogue, tolerance, and political equanimity.
“All stakeholders must place paramount importance on peace, development and the welfare of the people of Rivers.
“We must now focus squarely on good governance and development of the state,” the Forum said.
PANDEF commended President Bola Tinubu, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), respected elders of Rivers State, and other well-meaning Nigerians for their previous and ongoing efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the state.
Speaking in an interview on Saturday, January 10, Chief Sara-Igbe alleged that the minister had flouted regulations governing the commencement of electioneering campaigns by moving from one local government area to another to galvanise political support.
According to him, the action amounted to a clear breach of electoral guidelines being carried out with a troubling sense of impunity that could undermine the rule of law.
“Wike has violated the electoral laws of campaigning by going from local government to local government to talk to the people. He travelled from one local government to another. As a result of his visits to local government areas, he has broken election regulations and continues to do all these things without fear of repercussions”, Chief Sara-Igbe said.
The remarks came as Chief Wike was set to round off a state-wide “thank-you” tour that covered all 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
Although the minister had described the tour as an appreciation visit following support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general elections, critics say the engagements have assumed an overtly political character.
Observers note that during several stops, including recent visits to Andoni and Bonny local government areas, the minister rallied supporters across party lines under what he termed a “Rainbow Coalition,” a move widely interpreted as part of a broader political strategy.
During these engagements, Chief Wike was also reported to have made remarks perceived as a veiled challenge to the authority of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while repeatedly referencing the 2027 elections and urging supporters to prepare to “correct the mistake” of 2023.
Chief Sara-Igbe warned that allowing such activities to continue unchecked could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and called on relevant authorities to enforce existing laws without fear or favour.
The Commission, in a statement on Wednesday, claimed that there were plans by the same group to escalate a smear campaign against its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, to frustrate ongoing investigations and prosecutions involving prominent individuals.
The statement endorsed by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, claimed that the action was intended to distract the Commission through unfounded allegations of political bias in the discharge of its duties.
The EFCC warned that it would not stand by and watch “those recruited into this ignoble enterprise” or allow any attempt to derail it from “the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.”
The Commission made it clear that those recruited into this venture were under close watch, adding that it would not tolerate any attempt to distract it from the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.
“The EFCC reiterates its non-political stance in all its activities. Facts on the ground clearly show that any political actor belonging to the ruling party or opposition party, with corruption baggage, has no hiding place from the operational radar and dynamics of the Commission.
“As a matter of fact, several strong members of the ruling and opposition parties are either facing trial before the courts or being investigated by the Commission.
“It is needful that Nigerians appreciate the fact that the Commission is keeping faith with its Establishment Act in all its operations.
“Therefore, the Commission reiterates its commitment to justice, without fear or favour, in the fulfilment of its mandate,” the statement pointed out.
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