The Booby-Trap On The Front Door Of National Assembly

“He who comes into equity must come with clean hands” – Legal Maxim

With these cases of infectious corruption in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which have brought into public scrutiny the oversight function and probe integrity of the National Assembly, there can be no doubt that there is much to prove and disprove in the ongoing investigations. The onus is on who, for personal or otherwise gains, soiled and oiled his fingers with monies in the custody of the commission, meant for the growth and development of the impoverished Niger Delta region.

So far, given the grandstand episodes of accusations and counter-accusations, which by now may have revealed more than was expected, the House of Representatives seems to suggest that it is ready for the kill irrespective of whose horse shall be gored, to the extent of unearthing any conspiratorial complicity within its own ranks and readjusting public perception on its propriety. But this, by any stretch of the imagination in a country like ours, must be a huge task in the prevailing situation.

Beginning from 1999, the dawn of this revivalist democracy, history continues to hold in unforgiving suspicion, and perhaps tenacious derision, probes spearheaded and conducted by the National Assembly, any National Assembly. The organic reason for this may be traced to the endemic lack of populist confidence in the political personae and strategists that normally handle such probes by benevolence of membership in respective committees in the legislature.

Conversely, history does not have a satisfactory scorecard of probes by the legislature as a corporate citizen. Although celebrative noise, ovation, threats and promises usually herald such inquests, it is always either the inaugural daring voice was lost on transit or incriminating findings against sacred cows were made to suffer contrived perpetual silence in sacred pigeonholes. This is the sludge the many potholes of our history have spattered on our collective memory. A serious matter can be killed with the same gavel they use in sealing critical resolutions and acts in the House.

Read also: NDDC, Niger Delta Leaders And The Corruption Stigma

But to keep focus, this article has no intention to deep deliberately or recklessly into the past because the present offers fresh opportunities to reconstruct time and events. However, those enthusiastically arguing that assigning the responsibility of probing the purported financial iniquities at the NDDC to politicians is to make game of the gravity of the atrocities and later feed Nigerians with sour excuses must not be condemned as cynics.

As a critical component of the ongoing investigations, minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, who has been transmogrified into a protagonist in this unfolding saga of unpredictable destination and consequences, was both challenged and mandated by the leadership of the House of Representatives “to publish” within 48 hours names of federal lawmakers he said got lion’s share of contracts in the NDDC.

Suffice it may sound, the preponderant argument by the leadership of the House of Representatives is that Akpabio only attached the supposed names of the alleged lawmakers in an addendum that formed his eight-page letter to the House. The House is therefore insisting that the former Akwa Ibom State governor and senator makes the list public. This simply means publishing it in any conventional media platform.

While this is being awaited from Akpabio, it must be no news that the names were already ubiquitous in public media space, true or false, either it leaked from the letter submitted by Akpabio or excised from the Dr. Cairo Ojougbor’s version of the same matter. Dr. Ojougbor is the Ag. executive director, Projects (EDP) of the NDDC.

Read also: NDDC Probe: If This Must Be The Right Time

Some of the hovering questions now are: Is there anything to expect again? Should Akpabio go ahead to make the names public? What shall be the likely implications to him and the National Assembly? What shall happen in the possible case of Akpabio’s further delay or total refusal to publish the names? Why is Akpabio foot-dragging? Why is the House so adamant about having the names in national dailies?

In legislative dynamics, filibustering can be a strong weapon for alibis or for reducing the intensity of a matter. The situation is made more complex and complicated for the fact that none of those supposedly pencilled down by Akpabio has owned up to any of the allegations. This should have been expected.

Put more plainly, there is none of all the names Akpabio has pencilled who has not denied the allegations, making the matter much more interesting and indeterminable. The abiding fear on the streets, however, is that at the end of the day those who should have been held to give account may just be asked to take a bow because as far as those who know are involved, “it is okay”. But care must be taken that necessary actions were taken against whomever is deemed culpable in this drama of tactical self-defence.

In Nigeria nobody is corrupt who has not been caught in a way and circumstances it was humanly impossible to deny before eye-witnesses and deemed guilty in the simple eye of the law. Worse is if .he has a competent lawyer with rich credentials in professional lies! No matter how corrupt, a typical Nigerian in a strategic office remains an angel if he is not caught in the act.

Related: Akpabio: Portrait Of An Archetypal Albatross

Bribing their consciences heavily, these are the ones who talk the loudest and the hardest to satisfy on probe committees set up against those with comparatively less misgivings. A country whose citizens live and operate with this disposition can never achieve anything good.

Against the diversity of arguments, it will be wrong to heap the layers of corruption in the NDDC on the head of one character who seems to have crossed limits in incriminating the lawmakers in the unending drama of crossfire accusations. The concern of the waiting curious public is for the House to do all within its powers to prove without prejudice and beyond reasonable doubt that there was no atom of truth in Akpabio’s allegations.

As it is in the nature of politicians to be circumspect or clairvoyant, so it is their wont to capitalise on situations for auspicious personal advantages. The House Committee therefore has the additional task of proving to credulous critics that 2023 cannot be a factor in the equation and outcome of the investigations. This matter dwells more on morality than politics because it directly affects fundamental rules and ethics of civil engagement. On the other hand, Nigerians who are not privy to classified peripheral findings by the House Committee on NDDC should fight against insinuations aimed at distracting or undermining their integrity.

If the right thing was done for the sake of the country and the threatened anti-corruption war, we ultimately might have to agree that it does not necessarily matter whether someone lost an office or was pardoned in the fight to reposition the NDDC for the lofty objectives it was established to achieve. This could be the beginning of the beginning to doing things right no matter the consequences on an individual or group.

The current probe offers the legislature another avenue to prove that they are there for the interest of the generality of Nigerians, not for any individual or groups in ensuring that justice was done. And the 9th Assembly will always be remembered and celebrated!