Recently, the Auditor General of the Federation, Anthony Ayine, said the federal government would prosecute any past leader found to have sabotaged Nigeria’s economy. Daily Trust Saturday sought the views of some Nigerians on the issue.
Ms Folashade Aransiola, 40, Business Development Executive, Ilorin
I totally agree and support the federal government on the move to prosecute any past leader found guilty of economic sabotage. Any leader that is involved in undermining the economy of a nation through destabilisation, poverty, chaos, ethnicity, war, corrupt practices should face the law. Every past leader that has stolen from the country and stashed away our money in foreign account is sabotaging the economy and they should be prosecuted.
Udeme Archibong, author and motivational speaker, Uyo
I believe there should be a clean up without bias. I think the prosecution is necessary for the clean-up but are the hands of the people prosecuting past leaders clean?
I hope the prosecution will be firm because in the past, the prosecution was always one sided, especially if you belong to a different political party, are their enemy or do not share their interest.
I hope it would be fair, and justice would be done and whoever is found guilty irrespective of their political party is prosecuted.
Musa Aliyu, 42, Executive Director, Media Advocacy and Technologies Center, Ilorin
Economic sabotage is no doubt becoming a national disaster in Nigeria. The recent decision by federal government to prosecute past leaders involved in economic sabotage is a welcome development. For the country to move forward, there is a need to jettison the idea of sacred cows, particularly past leaders who don’t seem to respect the law of the land. As much as possible, adequate punishment should be given to whoever violates Nigerian laws on economic sabotage, no matter the office they might have held in the past.
This will send a strong warning to those planning to do the same. And then, the sanctity of equity before and supremacy of rule of the law will be respected in Nigeria.
Paul Osuyi, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents Chapel, Asaba
The federal government can decide to take any policy that could move the nation forward. But on this issue of probe of past leaders, I want to say that if a man wants to make progress, he cannot continue to look back. In this country, we have plethora of probes and at the end of the day we don’t see anything from them. We have had the Lawan-Otedola bribery scandal and nothing came from it. So based on these, looking at the past records, I feel the policy will not lead us anywhere other than move the country in circles. What I would rather advocate is for the government to look inwards to see how to revamp the economy and plug the loopholes through which civil servants and politicians are stealing from the public treasury.
Mercy Okiemute, social critic, Ughelli
I think it is a good move, but they should not be sentimental. They should be transparent and honest in their actions. If I recall, the recent EFCC activities have been focused on the opposition. Take statistics of the EFCC probes and prosecutions, they tend to smack off political sentiments. Nobody should be bigger than the law.
Clifford Thomas, Lawyer, Journalist, Uyo
President Buhari should start with the review of his military government in 1983. He is not competent to prosecute past leaders if he does not prosecute himself and in prosecuting himself, he must leave it to another person because he cannot be a judge in his own suit.
Bishop Ani Jacob, 40, Nucor Steel, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
It is a good development. We need to see a practical step towards building our economy for the benefit of the people. But that can only be done when sincere and honest leaders are in the helms of affairs.
Every past and present leader found to be corrupt should face the wrath of the law to serve as a deterent to upcoming public holders.
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