political loot in Nigeria:Ibori looted funds

Politics they say has no permanent friend but permanent interest. Nigeria political scenario is filled with intrigues. The major characters parading them-self for the available portfolios have nothing other than their selfish interests and desires to nurture and cultivate.The have next to nothing to offer, their programs if any, lack in-debt analysis of the root cause of the problems facing the populace daily, the reason is mainly due to the fact that, there is a disconnect between the electorate and the elected representatives.

The reason for the disconnect is deliberate, when people are enlightened, there is a consciousness that can not be whittle down by mere propagandas and political gymnastics.The utterances especially during the so call electioneering campaign is demented in every form. Nigeria is a nation with three major ethnic group, these are

1.Hausa

2.Igbo

3.Yoruba.

these three major groups are domicile in the North(hausa),The East(Igbo) and the West(Yoruba).

While there are more than 250 ethnic Nationalities that make up the entity known as Nigeria, these three hold sway in every aspect of the national economy. The Hausa's are using Islamic pendulum to play the game, the Yoruba's are using civility to play the game while the Igbos are using entrepreneurial charisma to play the game. The end result is a nation filled with unsolved problems that less endowed nations have long conquered. Sentimentality is elevated while merit is demoted. An outsider will find it difficult to understand. The outsiders are their fellow tribesmen, who are easily brainwashed into ethnic context whenever any politician is caught or exposed as a result of treasury looting.

One classical example is James Onanafe Ibori, while he was playing hide and seek with the EFCC he severally said that the EFCC whose head at the time was Nuhu ribadu is after him because he is an Ijaw man. This technique has proven to be veritable tool in the hands of politicians. They earn admiration and sympathy at the same time. The onus is to divert the attention of the public away from the issue at hand and a focus is placed on victimization and ethnic oppression.Over the years it has work wonders for them and it still does.

The only thing that the politician need to do in other to maintain this iconic manipulation process is to keep the people perpetually poor and in need, with little or no formal education.

Their prosecution is more or less like a pat on the back, and it never serves as a deterrent to others. The resultant effect is a multiplication of corrupt tendencies.The problems facing Nigeria is not much different from what other countries of the world are passing through, the will to root out the problem is lacking and that's the real problem. For there to be a truly viable democratic institution building in Nigeria the following steps must be taken with immediate effect

a. INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING: The Nigerian state Institutional framework is a customizable type. In the sense that the occupier of a public offices personalizes that office all through their stay until booted out, the next occupier start all over again and the end result is a week institution devoid of merit and full of sentiments. This applies to all public offices in Nigeria with no singular exception.

b. TRANSPARENCY: The main reason the National Assembly has refused to pass the FOI bill since the bill was introduced in 1999, right from the inception of the return to democracy after military dictatorship for years has been to protect the interest of public officials and the political class after treasury looting. This is a clear case of CLASS INTEREST.

c. ACCOUNTABILITY: Accountability is non existence in the Nigeria polity. the fact that these professional treasury robbers and looters are never made to face the consequences of their actions and inaction leave a vacuum in the anal of the nation.

d. PRUDENTIAL FISCAL POLICIES: The benefit of this can not be overemphasize, it is the tonic that will spring Nigeria forward in the committee of nations.

Having said this much, the following should henceforth be condemned in all it ramification by every one that has the interest of Nigeria at heart.

1. TREASURY LOOTING: Treasury looters should faced the full wrath of the law and there should be no pat on the back for any one. No plea bargain, which is usually part of the looted money in view.

2.ELECTION RIGGING: Because the stakes are high, politician go to unimaginable length to get elected. including diabolic and fetish means......e.g Chris Ngige and many others.

Nigeria is plague with corruption cancer. Though there are numerous problems facing the nation, the two are the most deadly. and it will take a collaborative effort of the citizen to stem them out of the polity. Because they serve as a catalyst to promote and induced other similar vices. The Good luck Jonathan Administration will be judge on the legacy it will leave behind. And i pray that God should direct and guide him towards leaving a lasting legacy to the nation. The type that generations yet unborn will be proud of.