The Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the government of President Muhammadu
Buhari to immediately withdraw its “clumsy, arbitrary and selective looters’
list”.
The organization said the action
can only diminish the government’s ability to fight corruption, frustrate its
mouthed goal of transparent governance, allow suspected perpetrators – whether
from the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
– to escape justice, and ultimately, deny victims of corruption justice and
effective remedies.
The Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had on Friday released a list of some of those who
allegedly looted the nation’s treasury.
Reacting, SERAP, in a statement
on Sunday by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the authorities
should withdraw the looters’ list and come up with a comprehensive list as
ordered by Justice Hadiza Shagari last year.
“Allowing the published looters’
list to stand will undermine the credibility of the government’s claim to fight
corruption, and signal to Nigerians that it is not serious to satisfactorily
address the allegations of grand corruption under the former government of
President Goodluck Jonathan and involving those close to this government,” it
said.
“If Buhari is truly interested in
vindicating the rule of law and the proper administration of justice, his
government will do well to genuinely obey Justice Shagari’s judgment ordering
the authorities to ‘tell Nigerians the full names of all suspected looters of
the public treasury past and present.’ Few things would go farther in fostering
and nurturing our system of constitutionalism, democracy, and the rule of law.
“This politicized list comes at a
time when the government is promoting itself as a beacon of transparency and
accountability, and a model for other African countries to follow. The
authorities ought to have resisted the temptation to put out this shambolic
list and instead obeyed the spirit and the letter of Justice Shagari judgment.
“What is at stake is not just the
rule of law, but also the larger question of whether the government is really
serious to fight grand corruption and combat the impunity of perpetrators,
regardless of who is involved.
“The government cannot pick and
choose which judgments it wants to obey even though the judgments at times may
be highly unsettling. The judgment ought to have been fully obeyed and
implemented even if the government would step on toes and make some politicians
uncomfortable.
“For the government to impose
this list on Nigerians, which would seem to serve as an expedient means to an
end that disregard the orders by Justice Shagari is more than a violation of
law; it is a breach of trust with the Nigerian people.
“If disobedience of court orders
becomes the norm, the ship of government would become anchorless and adrift in
a sea of treacherous uncertainty that could lead to a beachhead on the land of
tyranny.
“If Buhari is to renew his
commitment to fight corruption regardless of whether it involves politicians
from his own party and the opposition, something more than a propaganda list
and hypocritical conduct is needed to restore citizens’ confidence in the
ability of his government to deliver on good governance.
“That something more is a
restoration of the rule of law. Our courts, interpreting our Constitution and
legislation, stand as the living symbol of the rule of law. But persistent
disobedience of court orders by this government has magnified its lack of respect
for the rule of law.
“Persistent disobedience of court
orders is profoundly, dangerously wrong, and a distortion of democratic
principles, and ultimately, an assault on the very concept of the rule of law
and judicial integrity.”
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com