Saraki’s trial and the laughter within

The trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki over alleged false declaration of assets when he was the governor of Kwara State by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has dominated the media recently. While some commentators said that truly a Daniel has come to judgement and that the senator deserves the treatment being meted to him for allegedly disobeying the party supremacy order in the election of officers of the current senate, others said the trial smells of witch-hunt, being selective and targeted to rubbish the ebullient senator.
A third group said that criminal matters are not time-bound and can be opened up at any point in time. And perhaps that is exactly what the CCT has done in the case of Saraki. Maybe it will soon dock other governors/politicians that made false declaration of assets. Yet a fourth group pointed out that the timing is wrong and that the trial is capable of rubbishing President Buhari’s war against corruption. I have sympathy for this group.
Yet some other commentators said that there are other governors who made false asset declaration at the same time the Saraki own was done. I add that there may be other politicians that have made false declarations yet they are working the streets of Abuja and Lagos and the heavens never fell on them.
While this drama is playing out in the polity, some chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are indeed having a good laughter and shouting crucify him, crucify him. Perhaps they are cheering the trial and shouting on rooftops crucify him, crucify him not necessarily because Saraki has done or not done what someone else has done or not done but simply because they want Saraki to be silenced one way or the other for disobeying party supremacy order. There are many Nigerians who believe rightly that the war on corruption should not respect anybody no matter how highly placed. In other words, there should be no sacred cows in its prosecution. They are in agreement that all corrupt Nigerians must be brought to justice. If the evil corruption has wrought on the economy and development of this country is anything to go by, every Nigerian will readily support the war on graft no matter whose ox is gored.
However, such a war should not be selective, a witch-hunt or political. In fighting against corruption, due process must be followed and all those who commit similar crimes must be brought to justice. Some previous administrations have used the war against corruption as a tool of vendetta and settling of old scores. President Muhammadu Buhari must avoid such pitfalls in his anti-corruption war. Buhari’s war against corruption must be transparently waged in truth and honesty and should neither be selective nor vindictive. That is the only way it can gain the support of all Nigerians.
If the Buhari’s government has chosen the path of fighting corruption to finish, it must be done the right way. May I also suggest that the dock be widened the more to be able to contain all those outside that will be candidates for the dock sooner than later if indeed the war against graft is not selective as witnessed during former president Olusegun Obasanjo era.If fighting corruption the right way, Buhari should avoid a situation where such a war is misinterpreted as is currently the case with Saraki’s trial. Many Nigerians find it extremely difficult to divorce Saraki’s ordeal with his emergence as the Senate President. Saraki admitted that much at the CCT. Let Buhari and his party prove to Nigerians that Saraki’s ordeal is all about fighting corruption and that it has nothing to do with APC larger politics at the National Assembly. Although, Buhari has stoutly denied having any hand in Saraki’s ordeal, such denial sounds more like the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob tale. Today, it is Saraki, tomorrow it can be anybody. In everything, let justice prevail.

FG should fix Orlu/Ihiala road

It is no longer news that the Orlu/Ihiala federal road has been in worst of conditions for quite some time now. It used to be a good road but after years of much use by heavy vehicular traffic, the road is now a death-trap. The fate of this road is tragic and also pathetic. I say this because this is one of the federal roads that contract was actually awarded by the past administration for its repair but had since been abandoned by the contractor.
Those that travel through this road that link Imo and Anambra states usually see hell and always complain of nightmarish experiences especially at the centre of Awo-Idemili, Amaebu Ebenator, Amannachi and some parts of Ihioma. As a result of the terrible condition of the road at the aforementioned junctions, commuters turn to other rural roads to evade the bad portions thereby wasting much time for a journey that would have been smooth if the road is in order. The Ihiala part of the road, especially at Ubuluisiuzor and Isseke areas are also not in good shape. These are pointers that the road is begging for total rehabilitation.
The people of the area have complained many times to officials of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to fix the road but not much has been done in that direction except an inspection of the damaged spot at Awo-Idemili by FERMA team led by Director of Public Works, Godson Amos. But it is curious that Amos should blame the community for not taking care of minor drainage around the area. I do not know why Amos should shift the blame on the community for the road’s poor drainage system. Whatever is his reason, Amos should understand that it is the responsibility of FERMA to maintain the road including its drainage. It is never a community affair. FERMA should stop the blame game and repair the road.
Both Imo and Anambra states governments are not doing anything now to remedy the situation probably because the road belongs to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Half of the road is in Imo while the other half is in Anambra. Therefore, let those representing Orlu and Ihiala zones in the National Assembly do something now before this important link road becomes history. I know that many of them that represent these two senatorial zones in the National Assembly pass through this road to travel to their respective towns and villages.
They should not wait and see the people that voted them into the House suffer because the only federal road that pass their area is no longer passable. This is the time they should demonstrate that they care for their constituencies. This is the time for them to show that they care for those they represent. The time to act is now.
I therefore call on all the senators and representatives from the two zones to use their powers and connections to see that the Federal Ministry of Works and indeed the Federal Government do something urgently to fix this important road without further delay.