by Egbo Mon-Charles

At this stage of our socio-political development especially given past experiences, it is the height of disservice de-marketing Nigeria under the cloak of championing a cause; more so, in this digital age. It is also particularly saddening that the enlightened and knowledgeable are ironically those who still find it expedient imputing parochial perspective in issues of national interest.
Granted that our democracy, however as has been the case with developing nations, is still evolving, Nigeria’s strategic leadership status in Africa has naturally positioned it at a vantage sociological pedestal where her citizens should think and act above primordial sentiments at all times. Emphasis and mental investments should be on those virtues and values that unite and can navigate us out of the economic difficulties of the moment. This is because the job of recreating and managing the image and reputation of the country before the international community should be embraced by all and sundry as the patriotic obligation of the citizenry.

Hence and on the strength of the foregoing, it is clearly an unfair judgement on the National Assembly to fault, based perhaps on political motivations, “the findings, backed by documentary evidence, and recommendations of the Senate against Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal”. The call for his resignation sequel to the report became imperative in the court of public opinion when viewed against the moral questions inherent in the alleged offences and importantly also to afford him an opportunity of adequately offering possible defences to clear his name and either reclaim his seat or move to higher responsibilities with boosted credibility. Although it could be argued that in the principles of justice, an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the peculiar nature of the issue especially the critical status of the accused in a regime reputed for zero-tolerance for corruption stance, an irredeemable damage has been done to the integrity of the office. It would be recalled that in his letter of resignation recently following an allegation of bribery, Muiz Banire, the erstwhile national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress, APC, cited the need to allow for free investigation and also the wound already inflicted on the image of the party as the

Although it could be argued that in the principles of justice, an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the peculiar nature of the issue especially the critical status of the accused in a regime reputed for zero-tolerance for corruption stance, an irredeemable damage has been done to the integrity of the office. It would be recalled that in his letter of resignation recently following an allegation of bribery, Muiz Banire, the erstwhile national legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress, APC, cited the need to allow for free investigation and also the wound already inflicted on the image of the party as the basis for his action. There also abound several cases of public officers who faced with similar, and in some, lesser moral challenges towed the only open path of honour.

However to set the record straight, the senate in response to reported humanitarian crises at the IDP camps set up a review committee that incidentally indicted the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, over alleged breach of the law by using his company, RholalVision Engineering Ltd., to benefit from “inflated and phantom contracts” awarded by the Presidential Initiative on the North East, PINE, curiously also, when Lawal was still a director in the company and was still even a signatory to the company’s account as at investigation. His actions particularly as it affected his directorship of the business outfit while serving as the Secretary General of the Federation is at variance with Nigeria’s code of conduct for public officials as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution which stipulates that “a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interests conflict with his duties and responsibilities” and also that a public officer shall not, except where he is not employed on full-time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade .,.”

Perhaps on the assumption that senate jumped to conclusions as Lawal did not attend the investigative hearings, he has ample time and avenues to factually prove that indeed he was being wrongly represented or as being roundly insinuated, victimised unduly. If he could through the media describe the senate as “talking balderdash” as well as having “developed the habit of bring-him-down-syndrome’ he could as well use that same means to state his own side of the story and possibly contradict the damning evidence against him. What he fails to realise is that for even putting himself in a suspicious circumstance where his integrity is questioned is enough injury in itself if we must walk the talk. Not even when the issue at stake borders on crime against the vulnerable humanity, which implies that the misfortune of those displaced helpless compatriots is obviously to his advantage.

In other words, he was only out to profiteer at the expense of the victims’ precarious condition not that he actually wanted to better their lots. It would be recalled that the report lamented “that most of the contracts awarded by PINE had no direct bearing/impact to the lives of the displaced persons apparently languishing in hunger/ starvation, disease, squalor and other deplorable conditions in all the IDP. The contracts under review include……the purported payment of over two hundred and twenty-three million naira for the removal of invasive species grasses in Komadugu, Yobe Water Channels…..” awarded to Lawal’s RholalVision Ltd., an IT firm for that matter, or that matter. The report further stressed that aside the procedure of award and payment being in clear violation of the procurement Act spending a whooping N223 million merely ‘for the removal of invasive plant species” was adjudged too high for such low magnitude of service.
Yet elsewhere, a coalition of civil Society organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of Citizens Action To Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) through a Co-convener, Ibrahim Garba Wala insinuated organized persecution and stated that “CATBAN can assert with authority that the contract was indeed carried out. The claims that it was meant to clear grass in IDP camp or that nothing has been done are nothing but unfortunate lies.” The body maintained that the contract was actually executed and also that Lawal’s company, did not directly benefit from the contract pointing out that “RholalVision Ltd was engaged only as a consultant even though the Senate committee created the impression that the company of the SGF executed the contract….CATBAN alongside the local NGOs went to the Likori Bridge in Marma channel on the Hadeja River. We found the first project sign post which consists of the contractors’ and consultants’ details…..We reliably gathered that a major director in the company (which CABTAN discovered to be the direct beneficiary)above has a twin brother who is working as a personal assistant to one of the Senators. We could not ascertain if the Senator has any direct interest in the firm or contract”. What a diversionary tact!

Tonnie Iredia on his part contended that “these are no doubt weighty issues which the Senate has publicised. But unfortunately, Lawal’s defence was not similarly revealed to enable the public fully appreciate the gravity of the subject….On this score, it is not irrational to regard the hasty conclusions of the Senate as premature. The Senate to my mind has not only jumped the gun but has put in the subconsciousness of people that we have a corrupt SGF thereby putting any new investigators on a very tight corner. If Lawal is at the end found to be innocent, many will see it as a cover-up. Bearing in mind that only the Judiciary is empowered to find any Nigerian guilty of a criminal offence, Nigerian legislators need to watch their tendency to do the jobs of other bodies. If however the SGF is eventually indicted, he should be prosecuted without delay. Until then, the call for Lawal to leave office is premature, more so when no legislator is ever willing to leave office because of an allegation”.

However recognising the right of everyone to reach their own judgement by themselves, it is important also that such conclusions be motivated by public interest, regardless of who and what is involved, and of course, has the capacity to stand every moral scrutiny. Otherwise, it is logical in the face of the expressed sentiments against the senate report, to suppose that it is simply because the National Assembly is involved. Understandably, though, and as an institution that is peopled by fallible mortals, it may have had its own past low points but what cannot be taken off the 8thParliament is its diligent commitment to making a difference and laying a formidable foundation towards taking Nigeria to her pride of place in the global environment. Despite the initial monumental distractions it witnessed upon inauguration which greatly impacted on its frequency of sitting as well as zeal to hit the ground running, one has to admit that there is today a National Assembly reflecting an impressive and unprecedented style of corporate governance that is reassuring in all ramifications. Both in political administration and bureaucratic management, the present Assembly has so far demonstrated proven empathy with the suffering masses especially in commitment to effectively partnering the executive in people-oriented policies and programmes aimed at revamping the economy. Arguably, the consolidated Legislative Agenda projects a realisation that without investing towards strengthening the executive-legislature relations, National Assembly would end up as the usual run-of-the-mill outing at the expense of the people. Typical of proactive and responsive governance strategy, the Agenda objectively took care of the potential areas of dispute between the two arms recognising that the two major factors that impede legislative excellence are internal wrangling and external interferences which tend to mortgage the freedom and completely distract the institution.

Despite the initial monumental distractions it witnessed upon inauguration which greatly impacted on its frequency of sitting as well as zeal to hit the ground running, one has to admit that there is today a National Assembly reflecting an impressive and unprecedented style of corporate governance that is reassuring in all ramifications. Both in political administration and bureaucratic management, the present Assembly has so far demonstrated proven empathy with the suffering masses especially in commitment to effectively partnering the executive in people-oriented policies and programmes aimed at revamping the economy. Arguably, the consolidated Legislative Agenda projects a realisation that without investing towards strengthening the executive-legislature relations, National Assembly would end up as the usual run-of-the-mill outing at the expense of the people. Typical of proactive and responsive governance strategy, the Agenda objectively took care of the potential areas of dispute between the two arms recognising that the two major factors that impede legislative excellence are internal wrangling and external interferences which tend to mortgage the freedom and completely distract the institution.

While addressing their respective chambers, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, noted that the legislative agenda of the 8thSenate “is anchored on three cardinal objectives of improving governance, improving business and improving livelihood”; and the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara declared that “ the 8th House shall strengthen its processes……….will collaborate with its counterpart in the Senate and other arms of government to legislate for the common good of the Nigerian people. Our legislative activities will cover critical spheres of life in Nigeria.

Speaking recently at the Nigeria Economic Summit event in Abuja, Saraki disclosed that as part of the National Assembly interventionist approach to Nigeria’s socio-economic dwindled fortunes that there had been finished specialized11 bills which were critical for doing business and capable of facilitating economic recovery. He further hinted that he “did say to the President (Muhammadu Buhari), let us find a forum where we can discuss the private sector and SMEs (small and medium-scale enterprises), we need the kind of environment that would grow SMEs. Most of our laws are currently out-dated. If we work together we can identify and prioritise the ones that are of high priority. We have tried to identify the high priority ones and I think there are 45,…… It shows in part, what we have been able to do in the National Assembly and there are many more bills to come and the president is also responding to it…..You are going to see more of that in 2017, there are a lot of bills lined up…The National Assembly is settling down and as such you will see much more bill passed for the President to sign.”

Though not totally in the public domain and the impacts gradually manifesting as it behoves the executive arm to implement, a comprehensive-but-objective assessment of the activities of the National Assembly relative to the Agenda would certainly stem this tide of unfounded criticisms inspired largely by political motives.

Therefore on the part of the citizenry there is an urgent need for attitudinal change in criticising the National Assembly if must get it right for our dear country. This is because Nigeria cannot be good if her institution is poorly-projected.

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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Egbo Mon-Charles, a public relations practitioner wrote from Abuja