Governance as self-interest, By Jibrin Ibrahim

Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, who has simply been appointed the nation’s new accountant basic of the federation (AGF), was between 2011 and 2012 indicted within the N2 billion police payroll fraud. Additionally, Ogunjimi was reported to have come fourth within the examination for the number of the Accountant Common, scoring 62 per cent within the written examination, in response to a memo signed by Gabriel Aduda, the everlasting secretary, Ministry of Defence.

Essentially the most correct strategy to describe Nigerian politics right this moment is that state and society have been captured by an environment friendly and ruthless band that’s re-creating politics and the political economic system in its picture. Every day, individuals are lamenting in regards to the absence of guidelines, ethics and crimson traces in politics and the economic system, because the cabal in energy does because it pleases and we the residents watch and ponder whether it’s the brand new actuality or a brand new rascally Nollywood manufacturing.

All of us watched the skit on the Lagos State Home of Meeting. The Speaker was eliminated, a brand new one was elected by a large majority of members. As in all good Nollywood movies, the brand new Speaker was secure as a result of the vast majority of members supported her and, clearly, there was nothing former Speaker Obasa might do, or so we thought. All of the sudden, the music turned louder, Speaker Mojisola Meranda noticed that she was on their lonesome as her complete safety staff had been withdrawn. Former Speaker Obasa turned his appellation from former to present, and majestically moved in to re-take management of the Lagos Home of Meeting. He demanded that the legislators ought to come and pay homage to him, however solely 4 of them turned up. Because the drama moved to a crescendo, cellphone calls have been made, directions issued, and the complete Home rallied and paid homage to Obasa. My sympathies to Meranda, there are powers and there are powers.

Whereas the Lagos present was on-going, one other was taking place within the Supreme Courtroom. All of the sudden, the complete foundation of Nigerian jurisprudence, which relies on priority, was thrown into the waste paper basket as Governor Fubara, who thought he was in energy, was informed in no unsure phrases that there are powers and there are powers. The elections he organised into the Rivers State native authorities councils have been thrown out. The legislators who had sworn to question him, after he challenged their proper to desert the occasion on whose tickets they gained elections to hitch the ruling occasion, have been recognised as official and the Central Financial institution was instructed to cease sending monies to the State Authorities. It was such a blatant partisan motion that has not been seen lately. Sorry Fubara, there are powers and there are powers.

It’s tough to keep away from the Nollywood imagery as I used to be watching a senator complaining bitterly on Channels Tv that he noticed his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, come into the Chambers together with her husband and he kissed her. It was completely unacceptable for a husband to kiss his spouse within the Chambers, he defined. I used to be confused and didn’t know whether or not to cry or snigger. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had made disturbing allegations of sexual harassment towards the President of the Senate. If such a extremely positioned girls felt the necessity to make such a severe allegation towards a robust particular person, the least any severe democracy might do is to take such an allegation severely and examine it. The choice taken was to throw out her petition with out investigation and cost her with “crimes” of disrespect to constituted authority, in spite of everything there are powers and there are powers. The argument utilized by the Committee Chairman, Mr Imasuen, was that “Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition violated the Senate’s procedural guidelines, as she had personally signed the doc.” In fact, a petition not signed by the complainant would additionally don’t have any authorized standing. All types of tales have been then fabricated towards her. I refuse to dignify the tales they’re at the moment spreading to impugn her integrity and wouldn’t speak about them. We’re sinking too low.

Whereas all this drama was happening, I used to be alarmed to learn {that a} confidential report completely obtained by Nairametrics from a dependable supply monitoring the actions of motor tanker vessels, which displays cargo tanks coming into the nation, revealed that the Nigeria Nationwide Petroleum Firm Restricted (NNPCL) imported 159,000 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit (often known as petrol) between 1 February and 12 February. Primarily based on a typical conversion of 1,341 litre per metric ton, this interprets to roughly 213 million litres of petrol, imported by the state-owned oil firm, in response to the Motor Tanker Vessels report.

The revelation comes at a time Dangote Refinery, which might provide the nation’s wants, is locked in a authorized dispute with NNPCL and main oil entrepreneurs over the importation of refined petroleum merchandise, that are already being produced domestically with none shortfall. The pursuits of Nigeria don’t seem to matter in our governance mechanism. It’s all about self-interest. That’s the reason regardless of the January deadline set by the Financial Group of West African States (ECOWAS) for the adoption of cleaner fuels and automobiles to cut back air air pollution throughout the area, Nigeria has continued to import petroleum merchandise that exceed the permissible sulphur restrict underneath this regulation.

In December 2024, the NNPCL introduced the restart of the 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Firm (WRPC), which was authorised for rehabilitation in 2021 for $897 million. This announcement adopted studies that the Port Harcourt refinery’s 60,000 bpd part one had begun refining key fuels. Nigeria operates 4 nationwide refineries: one in Kaduna, one in Warri, and two in Port Harcourt. The refurbishment of those refineries, along with the operations of the Dangote refinery, was anticipated to cut back Nigeria’s importation of petroleum merchandise and make the nation gas unbiased. Nevertheless, the importation of refined merchandise continues on a big scale, regardless of the rising variety of native refineries.

To conclude, selecting the forged that’s producing these tales is one thing value understanding. Good {qualifications} are mandatory.

Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, who has simply been appointed the nation’s new accountant basic of the federation (AGF), was between 2011 and 2012 indicted within the N2 billion police payroll fraud. Additionally, Ogunjimi was reported to have come fourth within the examination for the number of the Accountant Common, scoring 62 per cent within the written examination, in response to a memo signed by Gabriel Aduda, the everlasting secretary, Ministry of Defence. Between 2011 and 2012, Ogunjimi was alleged to have used eight financial institution accounts in First Financial institution, Warranty Belief Financial institution and Eco Financial institution to warehouse funds linked to the Police Payroll Fraud. Self-service is the sport for the powers that be and the operatives are chosen rigorously.

A professor of Political Science and improvement guide/professional, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Growth, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES.