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The Pan Yoruba Socio-political group, Afenifere has called on the Federal Government to prosecute the former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina and other accomplices.
The Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin, stated this in their resolutions after a meeting held in Akure, affirming that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s corruption crusade was partial.
Afenifere expressed shock at the recall, reinstatement and promotion of the fugitive Maina and the involvement of top government officials at the highest level in the conspiracy that brought him back to office.
Odumakin, who also condemned the military occupation of the South West, insisted that corruption crusade should not be reduced to travesty of justice or caricature to fight opposition.
“We ask that the issue of Maina should not be swept with any broom under any carpet. He must be arrested, prosecuted and all officials involved in his recall should be punished no matter their status or origin.”
According to the group, “The Maina-gate is clearly an embarrassment for this government and the sordid development has created so much anger and angry reactions across the county.
“The Maina-gate and other associated tales of massive corruption under a regime that is fighting corruption is a confirmation of our position all along that most of the problems confronting Nigeria, including corruption, are systemic, structural and deep-rooted.”
Odumakin, without mincing words, stressed that the anti-corruption crusade by President Buhari was insincere and a ruse, lamenting that the government refused to address the “architecture of corruption in Nigeria, which is still very intact today.
“It is that architecture that have allowed that kind of reckless impunity that brought Maina back into office to happen at the time we are supposed to fight corruption.
“It is also this same architecture that allowed him to disappear into oblivion after the lead was blown of his presence within the system.
“We therefore state unequivocally that the Maina-gate has confirmed the fears that the present anti-corruption war is selective, and some people are given soft landing perhaps on their connection or possibly their origin.”
Afenifere further reiterated its stand on the restructuring of the country in order for the country to survive its present challenges.
“We have to deal with the structures that allowed resources to be controlled at the centre; so that the sharing mentality that makes government money to look like free money that can be shared and stolen at will.
“We ask that the resources and power should be devolved to the federating units with all necessary accountable processes to ensure those managing resources at that level are accountable to the people.”
He urged government to embrace productivity and desist from the sharing culture, warning that the status quo would continue to foster and breed corruption at alarming rates.
“People will continue to steal money with reckless abandon, and corruption will be treated with kid gloves while making example of few who probably are not in the good book of whoever is fighting corruption at that particular time.
Reacting on the controversial education summit in Ondo State that recommended the abrogation of free education, it urged all Southwest governors to sustain the free education policy introduced into the region by late Obafemi Awolowo.
According to them, “Education should not be in the lines of attacks. None of our government should attack the right of our people to have education, to go to schools and then shift the burden on the parents.”
The group acknowledged the present economic hardship in the nation, but said the policy would be another burden on the parents, “who are under the yoke of poverty and cannot afford the basic necessities of life.
“School fees should not be added to their burdens, government should start creating ways to fund education. Let’s not pass unnecessary burdens to our people.”
Afenifere commiserated with the Itsekiri families of Pa. Johnson Oritsegbemi Sunday Ayomike who died at the age of 90 years and Funso Alayande, the son of late Pa. Emmanuel Alayande.
YOMI AYELESO, Akure
