[The Injustice Blog] For Tambuwal, there is a reward for corruption

At a time the APC-led federal government is firing on all cylinders in a bid to rid the country of corruption through its “anti-graft war”, the APC government in Sokoto is doing otherwise; or how do we describe the pardon granted five persons indicted for mismanagement of funds totalling N15 Billion under the immediate administration of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa.

The affected individuals have been compensated with several positions ranging from commissioner to board appointments. A decision the EFCC is currently challenging at the Appeal Court.

As a form of giving leverage to the shameful pardon, the Sokoto Attorney-General states that the affected individuals were indicted by a panel of inquiry and not the EFCC, as a result, the pardon is in order. The AG has forgotten that the panel of inquiry is a legal panel set up with the approval of the state house of Assembly, they can indict but not prosecute.

The moment an individual is indicted by such committee, the necessary anti-graft agency empowered with the prosecuting powers will take over which the EFCC has done. Granting them pardon under any guise is antithetical to rooting out corruption from our society.

Such pardon has sent a message to the citizens of Sokoto that the state is a safe haven for corrupt individuals. This behaviour by Aminu Tambuwal is in consonance with what the federal government is doing at the moment.

Corrupt politicians from opposition parties decamping to the party are granted a safe coverage from prosecution under the APC government while those that remain in opposition are having a field day at the courts. This is evident in the pardon granted to the five individuals at a time fifteen of them are standing trial for corruption.

What the Sokoto State Governor has done is a pure abuse of power and a bid to scuttle the investigative process of the EFCC.

Stamping out corruption is not done by making arrest alone but by showing an attitude that doesn’t encourage corrupt practices. The body language of the Governor who is a trained lawyer has passed a wrong message as to the commitment of his government to fighting corruption in the State.

 

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

cool good eh love2 cute confused notgood numb disgusting fail