More Stories on This Section

The celebration of democracy the world over is traceable to the social contract theories of the origin of the state. And of all these theories, none has influenced the theory and practice of democracy better than the Lockean version. For John Locke, government is a trust between the people (the trustors) and their representatives (trustees). This was the philosophical underpinning of democracy as a representative system of government.

More interestingly, however, is Locke’s location of this trust in the legislature. This is because it is axiomatic that the legislature promotes democracy more than any other organ of state through its lawmaking activities and its oversight functions.

But has the legislature in Nigeria lived up to this global ideal? The answer is NO! How can the legislature discover itself in 2009 as an instrument of good governance and as a first line agent of the people when there is certain disconnect between the electorate and its elected representatives? Take for instance what has been happening in the House of Representatives in the last one year. When Olubunmi Etteh was elected as the Speaker, the decision received national acceptance if not for anything, but for the fact that Nigerian women have begun to be more visible politically. But before one could say no, Etteh has been removed as speaker.

Then, in came Dimeji Bankole who has basked in tremendous goodwill from the younger generation of Nigerians who saw in the gap-toothed lawmaker a symbol of a new direction based on probity and integrity. I wonder how many of us still want to identify with the speaker on the strength of the stench emanating from the House today. It appears that Bankole learnt nothing from the fall of his predecessor and is irredeemably headed for the same precipice. Yes, and why not?

Since fiery Lagos lawyer and anti-corruption crusader, Festus Keyamo, an undisguised admirer of the Speaker himself, raised the issue of corruption in the purchase of 380 Peugeot vehicles, the response of the House leadership has been to say the least despicable. First, it started with the speaker’s arrogance of calling Keyamo names. And when the Ethics and Privileges Committee invited Keyamo to substantiate his allegations, (a move that has now become their Achilles heel) the Committee was so blinded in their desperation to bury the truth that it was more interested in ad hominiem questions about the source of Keyamo’s documents than the real substance of the issue. Thank God that Keyamo stood up against a group of legislator out to hemorrhage the system.

For those who seem to have forgotten, or given up because of their belief that the matter will be swept under the carpet, the substance of the matter remains the purchase by the House Leadership from Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited 380 pieces of 370 Auto model cars at the cost of a more superior model of 370 Comfort, which was originally requested by the House for its committee functions.

There was also allegation of double payment of VAT on the items. In so doing, the House Leadership is robbing Nigerians over five hundred million Naira! From then on what follows has been one stupid lie or the other. Eseme Eyibo the mouth piece of the House have been insulting Nigerians with his asinine defense that one wonders whether this was the same job that my professional colleagues, Abike Dabiri and Eziuche Ubani, were doing with grace, class and a sense of responsibility.

We have been choked with the nonsense that those who are insisting that the procurement process of the cars be subjected to public scrutiny are bad losers who were disfavoured in the recent house committee shake-up. Pray, how does the loss of one’s committee chairmanship position force the House leadership into corruption? Well, you never know with African Magic! We have also been told that because none of the beneficiaries of the car allocation has returned the car, that is justification that the deal was transparent and corrupt free. Let somebody educate Mr. Eyibo that the cars do not belong to those they are presently assigned but remain the property of the National Assembly and can be recalled by the Clerk if need be.

And why not now?
Apart from the issue of the cars, there is also the unconscionable inflation of the prices of other items procured by the House. Take for instance, the procurement of LCD Samsung television sets at the price of N525, 000 when its market price cannot be more than N225, 000 and 150 desktop computers at the price of N49 million and 100 Sharp digital copiers at the unit price of N270, 000.

What is even annoying Nigerians the most is the insensitivity displayed by the House leadership at a time many Nigerians are finding it difficult to find a meal a day. Or how else can one rationalize the purchase of two bullet proof Range Rover Sport at the unit cost of over N57 million for the speaker and his deputy, another set of Range Rover reportedly for the Speaker’s convoy in Lagos and three other Mercedes Benz cars costing over N52 million each? And if what we are hearing that there was no transparent bidding for the items before their award, then the picture of a stinking Assembly is complete. Nobody is stopping Bankole and his spoilt co-travelers from living like Abu Dhabi princes. For all we care, they can embark on space leisure travel. But for Christ sake, they should do that with their personal income and not tax payers’ money.

A few years ago, an American Secretary of State was fired for flying first-class with public funds and a British minister also lost his job for fast tracking the visa application process for one of his relations. Chuba Okadigbo was removed as senate president for giving anticipatory approvals. Etteh was disgraced for not following due process. Yet what Bankole and his gang are involved in is the outright stealing of public funds.

Today, Nigerians can see for themselves the kind of buccaneering that goes on in the House of Representatives. We hear that their stores are filled to the brim with last minute supplies of all sorts of unwanted goods just to ensure that the allocations for the year are exhausted. Today, Nigerians can see for themselves the kind of people supposedly making laws for the good governance of the country. Today, they can see the reason why there is so much poverty in the land. And today, we can understand why President Yar’ Adua is recycling old politicians and shutting out the so called new generation in his cabinet. We are hearing that EFCC has submitted the report of its investigation to the President.

It has also been reported that some lawmakers have been indicted. There are also newspaper reports that part of the funds from the car scam has been traced to one of the leaders of the House. While we await the report of the Ethics and Privileges Committee, for whatever it is worth, let it be known that Nigerians have stomached so much filth and will not accept anything less than a thorough cleansing of the House. The House must purge itself of its corrupt leadership this year, or be content with the tag of corrupt lawmakers!