MURIC CONDEMNS ATTACK ON ATIKU’S CAMPAIGN OFFICE

10^th April, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

MURIC CONDEMNS ATTACK ON ATIKU’S CAMPAIGN OFFICE

Hoodlums have reportedly attacked the Katsina State campaign office of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The attack which took place on Saturday, 7^th April, 2018 targeted Atiku’s campaign office on Dandagoro road, Batagarawa Local Government Area of the state. Although no life was lost during the attack, windscreens, side mirrors and bodies of vehicles parked within the premises of the campaign office were damaged.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly denounces this wanton destruction of opposition property. It is shocking, retrogressive, counter-productive, barbaric and satanic.

Political violence belongs to the Stone Age. We expect that Nigerians should have risen above such backwardness. This is why we are disappointed that Nigerians once again are revisiting this archaic political culture. Does it mean we lack any iota of civilization? Are we so politically naïve that we still believe that violence is capable of stopping anyone’s political ambition? It was political violence which led to the first military coup in Nigeria. Are we so forgetful?

We remind youths to eschew violence. The children of political leaders are either in Britain, Canada or the United States. Few of them keep their children in Nigeria. Their children attend foreign schools. None of them allows his children to join political rallies. Their children do not wear party T-shirts or caps. They don’t wave party flags. Our young ones should stop being stupid. They should grow up and learn. They should stop doing the dirty works of politicians. The hooligans of today cannot be the leaders of tomorrow. Those who employ you as thugs will never give you enough money to take you to the next level.

How much were the thugs paid to attack Atiku’s campaign office? Is it enough to pay their house rent? Is it enough to start a business? Is it enough to feed for one week? Is it enough to pay their children’s school fees? All they could be given is a paltry sum like N5,000. But they will also supply them with weapons and drugs. Are the youth so blind that they don’t know that whoever gives them weapons and drugs is out to destroy them?

Is that weapon a degree certificate? Is that drug the key to a new building or a new car? Can that politician give his own children the same weapons to go on rampage? Can he allow his own children to follow the thugs on that dangerous assignment? Why should the children of the poor function as thugs while children of the rich and powerful ride Ferrari and Lambogini in foreign countries? Who did this to Nigerian youths?

MURIC charges the Nigerian Police to fish out the perpetrators of this wanton destruction. The culprits must be dealt with according to the law. We urge Nigerian youths to distance themselves from politicians who wish to use them for violence. They will use them now and dump them after the elections. We call on parents to sermonise their young children.

As we round up, we suggest that any political party linked to violence should be suspended for three consecutive elections in the local government where the violence occurred while politicians who sponsor violence should be barred from holding any public post after the election. Apart from that, such a politician should be arrested and prosecuted. We warn those behind the attack to stop forthwith. Nigeria will not earn the respect of the international community as long as we engage in political violence.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

STOP DEFENDING LOOTERS FOR PRIMORDIAL REASONS

9^th April, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

STOP DEFENDING LOOTERS FOR PRIMORDIAL REASONS

The pan-Igbo socio cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has defended Chief Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President on allegations of corruption. The Federal Government (FG) has commenced the process of confiscating some of Ekweremadu’s property abroad. It is also about to charge the lawmaker before the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false asset declaration. In the same vein, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described FG’s move as political vendetta.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) strongly condemns a political culture which turns the blind eye at the vices of people of our ethnic, religious or political group.

Instead of allowing law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies to diligently carry out their legitimate duties, Nigerians have formed the habit of whipping up primordial sentiments. Ethnic groups, religious bodies and members of his political party ignore the real issues on ground and make ridiculous claims.

In the case at hand, Ohaneze allegedly complains that Igbo sons are being singled out. This is far from being the case. 23 names are on the second list, for example. How many of them are Igbo? Is Adesola Amosun an Igbo man? Are Babangida Aliyu, Jonah Jang, Rasheed Ladoja from the South East? Are Omokore and Aluko Igbo names? What will happen if the Yoruba, Hausa and other ethnic groups make the same allegation?

MURIC appeals to Nigerians to avoid jumping to emotional conclusions. We should learn to critically assess the facts of any allegation. But above all, we should allow the courts to be the last arbiters. A political culture which readily (and laughably) extenuates offences committed by people of our ethnic background, religion or political party is capable of leading Nigeria to perdition. 

How can we, in good conscience, celebrate thieves and morally barren people? How can we complain of bad governance yet we sympathise with looters? Are we so hypocritical that we cannot face the truth? We are the cause of all the bad things we accuse our leaders of if we cannot allow the government to punish evil doers. We will never be able to stop corruption. It will be evil ad infinitum. It means we are finished as a people.    

It is high time we learnt from countries doing well. Alberto Fujimori, a 79-year old former President of Peru, was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for corruption during his time in office. Park Geun-hye, a former President of South Korea, was last Friday (6^th April 2018) sentenced to 24 years in prison after being found guilty of abuse of power, coercion and corrupt practices. Thailand’s former Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2014, was sentenced to five years in prison over a rice subsidy case. A former senior legislator in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province bagged 14 years imprisonment for accepting bribes. So why should Nigeria be different?

Corruption is being reduced in other climes by punishing corrupt leaders but in Nigeria we are being tied down by tribal, religious and political sentiments. Militants always start blowing up oil installations the moment the government makes any move to make ex-President Jonathan or his wife accountable. Who did this to Nigeria?  

In our summary, we charge Nigerians to be ready to confront facts. We should leave people facing corruption charges to prove their innocence in the court of law. We urge FG to ignore sentiments being expressed over investigations of false assets and other forms of graft. Unless cases involving corrupt practices are pursued to logical conclusions, the problem of infrastructural deficiency will linger for a very long time.

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

PDP’S APOLOGY: GIVE US A BREAK PLEASE!

5^th April, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

PDP’S APOLOGY: GIVE US A BREAK PLEASE!

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Uche Secondus, recently apologized to Nigerians for mistakes made by the party while in power.

The Central Think-Tank (CTT) of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) met immediately after the monthly general meeting held at the weekend and PDP’s apology was among the issues discussed. CTT critically X-rayed the apology and unanimously rejected it. It found the apology half-hearted, deceitful and misplaced.

It is half-hearted because it is not comprehensive. Secondus said he apologized to Nigerians for “impunity, the imposition of candidates and other mistakes made in the past.” Just like that? Nothing was mentioned about the humongous amounts of money stolen by the PDP and whether or not the stolen funds will be returned. Nothing was said about widespread corruption during PDP’s reign. There was no mention of infrastructural negligence. Does Secondus expect Nigerians to swallow that dry apology hook, line and sinker? No, the tides have turned. Nigerians are now wiser.

Who is the PDP trying to deceive? For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerians did not sack PDP because its governors could not agree among themselves. Nigerians sent PDP packing because of its kleptomania and its flair for sharing money meant for building roads, electricity, education, etc, among its leaders. Before PDP can think of coming back, the party must tell us that it has agreed that stealing is corruption. Not only that, it must offer unreserved apology to the Nigerian hoi polloi for making that sweeping and misleading statement.  Until they change that erroneous ideology, we will not touch PDP with a long pole.

PDP’s apology is deceitful because even its megaphones do not believe that any apology should be offered. They are still arrogant and unrepentant. Femi Fani-Kayode, a PDP chieftain and firebrand megaphone lambasted Uche Secondus for apologizing. Femi Fani-Kayode’s body language, coupled with Fayose’s hateful comportment and utterances since PDP fell from grace to grass are indubitable evidence of lack of remorse and unmitigated impunity. He who must come to equity must come with clean hands. PDP must be kept at bay.

How can PDP’s megaphones still have the temerity to bark at Nigerians after the party’s colossal vandalisation of our common patrimony? Nigeria remained underdeveloped for the 16 years of PDP’s misrule. Electricity was epileptic. The education sector was comatose. PDP over-pampered lawmakers and allowed them to allocate scandalous amounts to themselves. It is now difficult to tame them.  

PDP is responsible for our plight today. The average Nigerian still lives on less than $2 per day. Per capita income is less than $300. Nigerian roads are the best for suicide drivers. Our hospitals are only suitable for getting rid of business rivals, unwanted relations and confirmed enemies. Young and talented Nigerians seek greener pasture abroad and the unfortunate ones end up as slaves and prostitutes in foreign lands. More than 80% Nigerians live under poverty level. 11 million Nigerians are malnourished. Worse still, only 1% of the Nigerian population has arrogated 85% of the commonwealth to themselves leaving only 15% to the remaining vast majority of 99%. As a result, the life span of the average Nigerian which was 70 years before independence is now 47.

The thieves are now confessing. Let us have more confessions. Even those who vehemently denied stealing are begging for bargaining. Election riggers are admitting their atrocities a la Mantu. They are begging Nigerians for forgiveness but they are unwilling to return stolen funds. Yet they want to control our destiny come 2019. They told us stealing is not corruption so they want to come back to steal. Are we so gullible? Why is it so easy to manipulate us? Napoleon said men are ruled by toys but here Nigerians are being ruled by nothingness. They are being ruled by emptiness, hunger, starvation, disease and sheer mirage. Who did this to Nigeria?

MURIC’s CTT also noted that PDP’s apology was misplaced. If PDP thinks it can maradonise Nigerians with a deceitful apology, the party must be told that there are Nigerians who are capable of analyzing every statement, every phrase and every word uttered by the party. The apology ostensibly offered to Nigerians was actually meant for governors and other influential chieftains who decamped from the PDP. It was not meant for poor people like us. It was not for the electorate, but for big politicians whom they have always used to deceive the electorate.

This fact became glaring from the speech of Chief Bode George at the same occasion where the ‘apology’ was offered. He said PDP was apologizing to party stalwarts who left the party “to return from the wilderness”. It is therefore clear that PDP did not really apologise to Nigerians, rather it apologized to its former chieftains. T o the PDP, traumatized and dehumanized masses deserve no apology.

Without being partisan, it is only fair to give all parties equal chances. PDP had a field day and that party cannot deny it. We gave PDP 16 good years but like the proverbial prodigal son, it wasted our resources. Objectivity demands that now that another party is in power and that ruling party has embarked on various construction projects, we should allow the party to prove its mettle.

Allow the projects of the ruling party to mature. Then we can compare and contrast. If it is true that PDP was in power for 16 good years, it stands to reason that we cannot fully assess the ruling party, in just four years. The All Progressives Congress (APC) needs at least another four years for its projects to mature and for Nigerians to fully assess it. Corruption is a highly contagious disease. PDP should just remain in quarantine.

As we round up, we urge PDP to give us a break. What the party should do if it really means well for this country is to offer a holistic apology, admit its wrongs (including massive and unprecedented corruption) return stolen funds, announce a moratorium of at least four more years before thinking of returning to power and identify a credible presidential candidate, possibly for 2027. In the interregnum, PDP can plan ahead for a corruption-free Nigerian environment in future. 2019 is not on the table.  

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)

NASS SHOULD STOP DEMANDING BRIBE FROM MDAS

3^rd April, 2018

PRESS RELEASE:

NASS SHOULD STOP DEMANDING BRIBE FROM MDAS

The Nigerian Senate in February 2018 complained that heads of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were delaying the passage of the 2018 budget. The red chamber accused ministers and heads of MDAs of ill-preparedness and unwillingness to attend scheduled meetings, ignoring invitations and sometimes failing to provide relevant information for screening. Senate therefore issued a one week ultimatum to them to come forward and defend their budgets.

In response to Senate’s allegation, some officials of MDAs recently told a leading Nigerian online newspaper that Nigerian lawmakers were aggressively demanding for bribe as a condition for passing their budgets. They claimed that heads of MDAs are asked to wait behind after attending screening sessions to see the chairmen of the relevant committees who pointedly ask them, “What are you giving us?”

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is astounded by this disclosure. It is most embarrassing, highly scandalous and very preposterous. This practice is irreconcilable with the prestigious status of the representatives of the Nigerian people. It is a monumental tragedy and a huge disappointment. Our representatives have let us down. Our hearts bleed.

We can understand the desperation for funds on the part of lawmakers particularly at this period. Those seeking re-election need money to fund their ambition. This informs the current upsurge in pressures. They frustrate heads of MDAs who refuse to play ball. They summon them endless times. They ask them irrelevant questions. They request for documents that have no bearing on the budget. The attitude of Nigerian lawmakers to the war against corruption may also have been partly responsible for the recent negative report on corruption in Nigeria by some international agencies.

Although the lawmakers have denied this allegation, the fact that the Director General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, affirmed that all the details needed by the lawmakers had been provided is quite didactic. It means the lawmakers are merely looking for ways to arm-twist heads of MDAs into compromising funds entrusted to them for development.

Apart from the testimony of the DG Budget Office, the allegation against the lawmakers can also be corroborated by precedence. Some lawmakers did it before and got away with it. It is on record that Nigerian senators demanded gratification to the tune of fifty four million naira (N54m) from Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as a condition for ratifying his ministerial appointment in 2003. To pass the budget of the Ministry of Education, they also demanded fifty five million naira. Senator Adighije later admitted being part of the committee of senate on education that took bribe from Fabian Osuji, former Minister of Education.

Surprisingly, however, nobody was arrested. None was prosecuted. Nobody was jailed. This is why they have the temerity to do it again. But they have miscalculated. A war against corruption is ongoing and Nigerians know where the lawmakers stand. Nigerians know the main cassu belli for the hostility between the executive and the legislature. For while President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to stem the high tide of corruption, Nigerian lawmakers are frustrating every move in that direction.

Unfortunately the citizens on whose behalf Buhari is fighting corruption are docile and lethargic. Some prefer to listen to the deceitful propaganda of looters. Instead of rising against a corrupt legislature, some sing divisive tunes of gymnastic jingoism and acrobatic religiousity. Who did this to Nigeria? When will Nigerian lawmakers serve the country with dedication and patriotism? When will they put behind their lust for wealth and personal aggrandizement? Most importantly, when will Nigerians vote out corrupt, unpatriotic and egocentric lawmakers?

MURIC calls on Nigerians to wake up from their slumber. Those voted into the National Assembly (NASS) to represent the people are only lining their pockets at the expense of the very people who chose them. The tragedy lies in the likely outcome of such exchange of bribe. Projects will simply remain unexecuted and no questions will be asked because those who are supposed to ask questions on the people’s behalf have sold out.

We call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to protect heads of MDAs who are currently under pressure from the NASS. The biggest role in this drama must be played by Nigerian citizens. We must defend our commonwealth the way we defend our votes. Nigerians should mobilize themselves to attend court proceedings in corruption cases. A situation whereby thieves mobilize themselves to give moral support to thieves like them in court should stop. Citizens should occupy the courts to put thieves to shame with their presence.  

MURIC charges the Nigerian press to highlight this ugly trend. Only the press can stop the tyranny of the lawmakers and heads of MDAs stand the risk of harsher victimization if the press keeps mute. Nigerians will be the losers at the end of the day if those MDAs should surrender. But posterity will be forced to ask, “Where was the Nigerian press when all this was happening?”

We invite non-Governmental organisations (NGOs) to mobilize against the bribe-seeking lawmakers. We admit that not all lawmakers are corrupt. We therefore challenge progressive lawmakers, genuine patriots and true democrats in the NASS to boldly speak up and challenge their greedy colleagues. Only such lawmakers are fit for re-election. Nigerians are watching.  

Finally, we warn Nigerian lawmakers not to provoke the masses. The wind has blown. We have seen the ruff of the hen. Any further attempt to delay the passing of the 2018 budget using flimsy and selfish excuses will only jeopardize their re-election.

In addition, we warn lawmakers to stop their scandalous solidarity appearance in court each time one of them is arraigned for corruption. Failure to heed this warning will attract the people’s reception in the same courts. Nigerians will no longer allow thieves to shamelessly celebrate themselves in our courts. We urge Nigerians to be ready to kick out corrupt lawmakers in the next general election.    

Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Director,

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)