By Comrade Isa Tijjani mni
I read a vindictive and clear hatchet job written by one Olumide Dara, in the name of a so-called civil society organization tagged Renewed Hope Apostles Against Corruption, published in a national daily. Ideally such a sponsored piece does not deserve any attention or even merit a response but for the fact that it is capable of confusing the public and dragging the name of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and its Managing Director in the mud.
It’s baffling that Dara and his group, in throwing up such weighty allegations against the person of their target, as contained in their write-up, failed to provide any shred of evidence backing their allegations. It is to be expected that a so-called civil society organization that is out to fight corruption must demonstrate cogent and indisputable evidence to buttress its point before going public.
That the Renewed Hope Apostles Against Corruption could choose to throw caution to the wind and to orchestrate for the removal of the NEDC MD without so much as to subtantiating their claim by providing evidence to show culpability, tells so much about the ulterior motive of the group. It is obvious they were paid to assassinate the character of the MD and to malign his hard earned reputation in order for their backers to achieve their selfish goals.
By going public and calling on the President to remove a person from a position of service without showing a modicum of evidence, the so-called civil society organization failed to do its home well and only succeeded in showing that they were only out to damage the reputation of an institution and a leader that is leaving no one in doubt about his capacity to deliver set objectives.
One would have thought that there ought to be sufficient evidence for any reasonable organization to call on the nation’s corruption fighting agencies to investigate the allegations contained in the write up, for which if any of the issues raised is found wanting, can lead to an arrest, and further investigations, with recourse to the executive arm for necessary action. Of course, like I said before, the piece does not even merit a response. The commission has people in authority that can adequately reply to any infractions assuming they have written to find out about the true position of issues. I was left perplexed as to where they found the temerity to deliver judgement without coming forward with facts that can be substantiated.
I am from the North East but do not know the MD or ever met him in person. I am responding as a patriot who gravitates around nothing but the truth. Unfortunately I find the piece as a hatchet job aimed at maligning and destroying the commission.
Does this Dara possesses the capacity for an informed insight of what is happening within the NEDC to the point of taking such a position? Or is he merely doing the biddings of his sponsors?
To the best of my knowledge, the commission has been discharging their responsibilities which may not augur well with his sponsors. I am told that if a person hates you or have a trumped up charges, no rational position can be given to satisfy the thirst of a person after you or your position.
It is on record that even the President of the country suffered from such sinister and baseless allegations meant to drag him down. This affront on the NEDC MD may not be an exception.
As an activist spanning over three decades, my position is always informed by facts and rationality. I therefore call on the anti graft agencies to dig and find out the truth so that I don’t sound as a puppet, sponsored person or giving blind support.
The legislative arm of the government can embark on an investigation as part of their oversight function and not allow a cheap and easily bought person to throw spanners in the wheel of progress of a democratic government that is determined to deliver devidends of democracy as part of good governance.
People of North East are better placed to give a report on the commission. Although it is true that any Nigerian can raise issues of bad governance that can be established but I am not sure Dara is one. If I may ask, has Dara been to the North East or does he have a genuine complain on the case from people of the region or just spreading a cock and bull story?
Let us treat the write up with levity and throw it into the dustbin where it rightly belongs until a more cogent backed premise with facts and reasons props up.
Comrade Tijjani mni
Writes from Kano.