by Toyosi Yusuff
Is it not strange that the people who swore to protect us are the same ones rubbing salt into the grievous injuries of our nation –injuries perpetuated by decades of mis-governance and misrepresentation?
In the last few days, the proverbial wind blew and parted the rectal feathers of the cockerel, revealing its anus while the whole world watched in shame.
You see, last week, the former Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmummin Jibrin, accused the Speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, of padding the 2016 budget. What ensued thereafter was a series of accusations and counter-accusation from all parties involved in the show of shame.
And as Nigerians watched in utter bewilderment, the Speaker, his deputy and other principal officers of the House proceeded to fling mud on Jibrin. Jibrin, the obvious underdog and a drowning man, responded in like term, opening a rotten can of worms that stands as an eternal witness to the failure of our leaders and the shortcoming of our electoral system.
While the veracity of their accusations remains unknown, the groveling truth remains that something was done in secret to the 2016 budget and whatever was done to the budget wasn’t in the best interest of economically disadvantaged and suffering Nigerians but was done out of –as usual- selfish interest of our elected officials, who squander our commonwealth and perpetuate corruption.
For what it’s worth, the 2016 budget has been a contentious issue (perhaps more controversial than others before it) between the executive and legislative arms of government. Both arms of government have –for the better part of this year- accused each other of tampering with the budget in one way or the other, while Nigerians watched the show of shame between their elected leaders.
It is imperative to note that the Speaker and Jibrin are both members of the All Progressive Congress (APC), a party that rode to power on the wings of change and anti-corruption rhetoric.
Now, more than ever, is the time for the APC and the presidency to demonstrate that they’re serious about their much touted ‘anti-corruption war’ and dispel the widespread belief that the anti-corruption war is one sided and targeted at the perceived opponents of the presidency.
Relevant anti-graft and security agencies should be invited to investigate and prosecute people involved in the budget padding scandal regardless of political and social standing.
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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
Toyosi Yusuff is a writer and an optimist who believes in a better Nigerian.
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