More on the Politics of Anti-Corruption
A little article on the BBC World News page caught my eye since I'd been paying attention to the anti-corruption campaign in Nigeria.Missing Nigeria governor sacked
"The governor of Ekiti State in Nigeria [Ayo Fayose, at right], has been impeached after MPs found him and his deputy guilty of misconduct.
"He denies graft and is believed to have fled to another West African country to avoid possible arrest and trial...
"Nigeria's anti-corruption watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently accused Mr Fayose of diverting $100,000 to a personal account in the US.
"He was also accused of receiving kickbacks on a poultry project embarked upon by his state government.
"The EFCC says almost all of Nigeria's 36 state governors are corrupt.
"The investigative panel, headed by the chief judge of the state said it found evidence of corruption against the governor and recommended his sacking.
"But the governor's supporters say that he and his deputy, Mrs Biodun Olujimi, are being "persecuted" because he had fallen out with President Olusegun Obasanjo..."
I'm still surprised that this tiny of bit of Nigerian politics is accessible to those of us so far away. But, as I've found, there is enough information on the situation in Ekiti that you could use it as a case study and compare it to cases in, say, China or Russia or Mexico or Iran or the UK. How do political systems deal with corruption and how big a role do politics play in the pursuit of corrupt politicians?
Here's some of what I found using only a basic Google search for Ayo Fayose. Some of your students could do better research and assemble and process enough information to make this a case to study while other students could "create" cases from other countries for a comparative exercise.
There is a profile praising Fayose at the Online Nigeria web site. It specifically mentions the poultry development scheme the governor is accused of profiting from.
There is an article (Confusion in the Fountain of Knowledge) in the Guardian (Lagos) which provides background (in nearly tedious detail) of the political intrigue involved in this case,
This Day (Lagos) reported also reported on this situation. Nigeria: Aftermath of Impeachment Saga... Ekiti Assembly Vandalised
"The theatre of the absurd playing out in Ekiti State over moves to impeach the state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, and his deputy, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi, continued yesterday as people suspected to be hoodlums invaded and vandalised the state House of Assembly...
"One man who was on guard at the assembly told THISDAY that he saw the hoodlums when they came in three different buses and a number of motor bikes...
"He disclosed further that when the hoodlums discovered that no one was around they started vandalising the frontier alluminum doors.
"Sources disclosed further that the police who shot severally into the air to disperse the hoodlums later chased them up to the Government House.
"The source said since it was forbidden to make any arrest within government house, the police had to turn back..."
In light of the anti-corruption commission's allegations that nearly all of Nigeria's governors are involved in corruption, the Vanguard (Lagos) report from two days ago seems very relevant. "36 Governors Write Obasanjo On Plateau and Ekiti"
"GOVERNORS from the 36 states of the federation have called on President Olusegun Obasanjo and the National leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to urgently intervene in what they described as the 'unconstitutional and outright intimidatory tactics' being exhibited by members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly in its bid to impeach Governor Ayo Fayose, in order not to destroy the nation's hard earned democracy.
"The governors, in a statement entitled 'Attack on Democracy' said 'we the elected governors of the thirty six states of the Federation of Nigeria view with very grave concern the ominous turn which the unfolding political drama in Ekiti State has taken...'"
The About Ekiti pages on the official Ekiti State web site would be a good source for examining local government and society.
As a footnote, the Ayo Fayose's one-page web site says, "The Man with a mission . Mr Ayo fayose is the governor of Ekiti State of Nigeria. He has come with a mission to transform Ekiti State to the most vibrant state in Nigeria.This is the season of change this is the time for the young and vibrant. Ekiti State will be great again under your leadership."
posted by Ken Wedding @ 8:28 AM
3 Comments:
The New York Times reported on Thursday, 19 October about new developments in Ekiti. Perhaps those tedious details reported earlier were important after all.
State of Emergency Declared in Nigeria
"Nigeria's president declared a state of emergency Thursday in a troubled southwest state where he said the impeachment of the governor by the local legislature violated the constitution.
"Legislators in southwest Ekiti state voted to remove Gov. Ayo Fayose on Monday after finding him guilty of siphoning state funds into personal bank accounts and receiving kickbacks.
'"'I hereby declare a state of emergency in Ekiti state,'' President Olusegun Obasanjo said in a national broadcast.
"He suspended the state legislature for six months, along with Fayose, his deputy and Friday Aderemi, the former speaker of local parliament who is claiming to be governor.
"Obasanjo appointed a retired general to administer the affairs of the state and maintain security there for the next six months.
"The removal of Fayose was illegal because some steps in the impeachment process violated Nigeria's constitution, Obasanjo said.
"Information Minister Frank Nweke said the legislators' removal of a state chief judge was an action outside their power. The replacement judge set up the impeachment panel that found Fayose guilty of misconduct.
''It is a clear case of usurpation of power,'' Obasanjo said of the impeachment of Fayose. ''It is dangerous for our democracy to allow this flagrant violation.''
"Troops and police were patrolling the streets of Ado Akiti, the state capital, and guarding key government buildings, residents said...
"Thirty-one of Nigeria's 36 state governors are being investigated for corruption, according to the country's financial crimes agency. Nigeria is regularly rated among the most corrupt countries in the world by Berlin-based anti-graft watchdog Transparency International.
"Obasanjo himself has been accused of misusing state funds by his vice president...
"The president has accused his deputy of corruption and Abubakar's membership of the ruling party has been suspended."
The BBC report on Ekiti adds some details to the general politics.
Emergency order in Nigerian state
"Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared a state of emergency in Ekiti State, following the impeachment of the local governor for corruption...
"Brigadier General Tunji Olorun (rtd), a former military state governor during military rule, has been appointed for six months has been sworn in in the capital, Abuja.
"Ekiti State is only the second state to witness a state of emergency in Nigeria since President Obasanjo came to power in 1999.
"Plateau State was placed under a state of emergency for nine months in 2004 after ethnic violence...
"Mr Fayose is the third governor to be impeached since Nigeria returned to multiparty democracy in 1999.
"Two other governors are currently facing impeachment proceedings from their local legislatures over allegations of corruption.
"Nigeria's anti-corruption agency says it is investigating two-thirds of the country's governors.
"While Mr Fayose was being sacked, MPs in Anambra State began impeachment proceedings against Governor Peter Obi.
"Early last week, Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye was served with an impeachment notice in controversial circumstances that sparked riots in the central state.
"Critics of President Obasanjo say his anti-corruption drive is a cover for a political witch-hunt."
The BBC adds some more information about the anti-corruption campaign.
Nigerian leaders 'stole' $380bn
"More than $380bn has either been stolen or wasted by Nigerian governments since independence in 1960, the chief corruption fighter has said.
'Nuhu Ribadu told the BBC that Nigeria has 'nothing much' to show for the missing money.
"He said the worst period for corruption was the 1980s and '90s, but currently two-thirds of governors are being investigated by Mr Ribadu's agency...
"Mr Obasanjo's critics say the fight against corruption is being used to victimise his opponents ahead of next year's elections.
"Mr Obasanjo is not standing after an attempt to let him seek a third term was defeated.
"But Mr Ribadu denied he has a political motive in his fight against corruption.
"'When you are doing this kind of work, you will always be accused of one thing or another.'...
"Mr Ribadu has led Nigeria's battle against corruption as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
"The EFCC says in the past two years it has recovered more than $5bn and has successfully prosecuted 82 people..."
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