James Abraham looks at allegations of corruption which have always followed every Plateau State governor once they leave power since the return of democracy in 1999 till date and asks if the incumbent Governor Simon Lalong, will come out with any tangible result in his probe of Jonah Jang’s administration.
Governors who served from the time of the nation’s return to democracy in 1999 till the last transition on May 29 2015 may have ended their tenures but one state where the issue of corruption by past leaders has continued to rear its ugly head is Plateau State. From the former Governor Joshua Dariye till the tenure of immediate past Governor Jonah Jang, there have been allegations of corruption hanging on their necks even after leaving office. Dariye, who is now a serving senator representing Plateau Central was governor of the state from 1999 till 2007.
Shortly after leaving office, it emerged that his tenure of nearly eight years on the saddle, was riddled with corrupt dealings leading to the embezzlement of state funds running into billions of naira. In fact, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had on July 13, 2007, a few weeks after Dariye left office, arraigned the former governor on 23 count charges of money laundering and other corrupt related offences involving billions of naira belonging to Plateau State government.
Specifically, he was accused among other things of diverting about N1.2 billion of the state ecological fund into the account of Ebenezer Ratnen Venture which is one of the companies through which he allegedly siphoned the public fund. While the people were still in shock over the revelation, a few months later, EFCC also accused Chief Michael Botmang of stealing N1.5billion of the state fund within five months, while in office. Botmang was the deputy governor and became the acting governor following Dariye’s controversial impeachment in December 2006.
He was subsequently arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on 31 count charge with Justice Anuri Chikere, putting him on house restriction because of his failing health. During his trial, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Counsel to the accused, M.Y. Saleh (SAN), after the charges were read, tendered oral application for bail because of what he described as exceptional circumstances resulting from the failing health of the accused. He told the court that the accused was diagnosed of five ailment-diabetes, hypertension, gont, chronic kidney problem and has been placed on dialysis twice a week.
EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, however, did not object to the bail application, saying they were aware of his health condition. But the judge, Justice Anuri, however insisted that the right procedure be followed, saying, “I don’t grant bail on oral application.
Because of the health condition of the accused, the court in its wisdom confined him to his house at Zawan Village, Jos South Local Government Council, Plateau State until his demise.
In the case of Dariye, the trial Judge, Justice Adebukola had scheduled the trial on November 13, 2007. Instead of going to the court to prove his innocence, the former governor filled his notice of his preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction and the validity of the charges.
Dariye contented that FCT High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit since the alleged offences involved funds belonging to Plateau State government but a five member panel of the Supreme Court refused the appeal by the former governor to quash the N1.2 billion fraud charge preferred against him by the EFCC. That was moments after the apex court dismissed the interlocutory appeal which had stalled the trial for many years.
The appex court held that Dariye’s appeal lacked merit even as it ordered his case file to be transferred back to the trial court in Abuja bringing the trial of the former governor back to square one.
While Dariye and Botmang’s cases still hang, it is well known that the sleaze that happened during their reign was further revealed by Jang, who after taking over power, set up a committee to probe their activities and thereafter was at the forefront to recover the alleged loot from Dariye and his team.
Although the recovery of the alleged loot was yet to see the light of the day, incumbent Governor Simon Lalong has decided to follow Jang’s when he recently set up a committee to probe the past administration under Jang. Not surprisingly, when the committee headed by the deputy governor, Sonni Tyoden submitted its report, the people were once again assailed with stories of looting of state fund running into billions of naira allegedly by the Jang led administration.
Tyoden’s committee, while presenting its report alleged that former Governor Jang squandered over 747 billion state funds between May 2007 and May 2015 without any tangible achievement to show for it. But Jang has dismissed the committee’s report alleging witch-hunt by the All Progressives Congress, APC, led administration in the state.
Although no case of corruption has been established against him by the anti- graft agency, there are fears that his trial, if it eventually begins might go the way of the previous ones handled by the anti-graft agency. It was against this background that trade union members in their thousands recently protested in Plateau State over what they called the ravaging effect of corruption in the land. They insisted that both the federal and state governments must bring the culprits to book to enable the country move forward.
The peaceful rally in Jos which was organised by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, held up vehicular movements for one and half hours in the capital city as the protesters who were drawn from all affiliate unions of the NLC as well as civil society organisations commenced the march from the old government house to the new one at Little Rayfield by 9:15 am and were led by the state chairman of the NLC, comrade Jubril Banchir.
The union leader who lamented the high level of corruption in the country said: “Corruption has created a very bad image for the country and its citizens as Nigerians are viewed as corrupt and dubious people outside the country.
Corruption prevents the provision of basic social amenities for the citizenry as the money meant development is often pocketed by a few thereby making governance impossible. Non-payment of salaries has been attributed to corrupt practices of state governors who have gone into heavy borrowing from the banks to carry out huge projects they clearly have no capacity for, and use them as conduit pipes to siphon public funds into their personal pockets, while some use the money meant for the state to campaign for re elections.
Virtually all aspects of Nigeria’s infrastructure are in deplorable condition, the country is characterised by bad road networks, constant power outrage, lack of security, inadequate water supply, unacceptable health facilities and declining education system.
Nigeria refineries must work to stop importation of refined products as the claims for subsidy on petroleum products are purely due to corruption practices and tendencies in petroleum sector. The only thing we need to do now is to stand as a union and fight this evil called corruption. NLC would continue to support the current leadership at the federal and state level against corruption.
We call on the Federal Government to set up special anti-corruption courts to try corruption cases in the country, realising that those who have looted our treasury have become adept at using the loopholes in procedure of regular courts to delay and in several cases subverting the causes of Justice.
We believe that this measure will help in no small way in the fight against corruption.” With the way the matter is being handled, no one knows how long the people will wait to know the culpability or otherwise of the accused.
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