(L-R): Bala Mohammed, ex-FCT Minister, now Bauchi governor, ran for 2023 PDP presidential ticket;Reuben Abati, ex-presidential spokesman, now media star at large; Musiliu Obanikoro, ex-Minister of State, Defence, now money bag at large; Femi Fani-Kayode, ex-Aviation Minister, fighting corruption cases in comfort; M Bashir, now a Bagman at Large.
It is human nature to cut corners if one can get away with it. But most folks largely stay lawful because there are serious consequences in breaking the Law under the Rule Of Law.
The trouble with Nigeria is that in breaking the Law, there are no consequences! A democracy without the Rule Of Law.
Besides being handsomely rewarded when breaking the Law, it is in fact the stepping stone to your next level.
For instance, Atiku Bagudu, current Minister of Budget, was late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha’s bagman for 4yrs (1994-98). Over that period, he laundered about 4 billion dollars for the Abacha family in Europe and America.
After Abacha “expired” in June 1998, Bagudu continued to move funds for the Abacha family until he was caught in 2010.
On a trip from Jersey a British Isle and tax haven to Texas, the UK authorities tipped off the U.S. Agents as he was airborne.
At Texas they were waiting for him and took him into custody. At stake was a tranche of 350m dollars stolen funds he was changing in bank accounts.
Bagudu remained in the Texas prison facility for 6months as he negotiated with U.S. Authorities.
A deal was eventually brokered for Bagudu to surrender 200m dollars and his case file was transferred to Nigeria on his deportation from the U.S.
Bagudu was returned back to Nigeria in 2010 awash with dollars. He surrendered another100m dollars and was granted bail.
He quickly got the PDP ticket for Kebbi Senate and before you could say Jack, he was in the Senate from 2011 to 15.
In 2015, Bagudu switched parties to APC, ran for governor and bang, he was Kebbi governor from 2015 to 23! Can you beat that? Only in Nigeria!
For his efforts of returning some Abacha loot, Bagudu who claimed he had an understanding with Obasanjo FG for a 100m dollar commission on the returned loot, insisted on being rewarded.
Bang, Buhari and AGF Malami who was planning to replace Bagudu as Kebbi governor quickly made 100m dollars available to Bagudu.
This was the man sitting in a Texas detention facility under 10yrs ago, now another GSM (Gov-Sen-Minister)! Only in Nigeria. Can this happen elsewhere? Maybe in outer space!
Another G-S-M example is current Senate President Godswill Akpabio. After 8yrs (2007-15) as Akwa Ibom State Gov, and allegedly looting N108bn of state funds, he got into the Nigerian Senate, even as EFCC was digesting his alleged humongous loot from Akwa Ibom.
Akpabio ran for cover by switching parties like Bagudu from PDP to APC. Before you could say Jack, the APC, known as a party for “Change” under Saint Buhari, quickly rewarded Akpabio with the ministerial appointment of Niger Delta Minister.
Again, like a monkey put in charge of Banana warehouse, Akpabio allegedly quickly gobbled up another N1trillion.
From N108bn to N1trillion, Akpabio wasn’t done yet as he was still upgrading. He returned back to the Senate after a failed run for APC presidential ticket and snatched a Senate ticket from DIG rtd Ekpoundom, a contest he never took part in.
Akpabio with his humongous loots still unaccounted for, is today Senate President and no 3 man in a banana Republic called Nigeria, isn’t it so?
Let me rest my case here. The examples are too many, where do I start from or stop. The picture above of EFCC class of 2016, tells just a little bit of Nigeria’s tragic story.
Ray Onwaeze can be reached at
[email protected]
