Date Published: 09/30/09
MICHAEL AONDOAKAA: A THREAT TO JUSTICE IN NIGERIA. By KAYODE AJULO
I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to
succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand
with anybody that stands right, stand with him while he is right and part
(company) with him when he goes wrong.
-ABRAHAM LINCOLN
In the history of Nigeria, the issue of crime is a major caveat that has
so deeply eaten into our nation that even the once acclaimed institution
of crime fighters are now in the foyer of power penetrating against
stringent committed effort to work against corruption.
The Ministry of Justice is in place as the epitomeand regulatorof legal
authority and Justice and the EFCC having been established by an act of
the National Assembly for the utmost achievement of eradicating financial
crime, one can only be surprised at the level of involvement of persons at
the helm of affairs of these two all time Crime combating, society
fortification and Justice attaining in the embarrassing scheme of fraud
involving ex- governor James Ibori (Delta), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (Lagos)
and chief Victor Attach (Akwa Ibom).
In what appears to be a rehash of failed institution, the Minister of
Justice Michael Aondoakaa have just succeeded in exposing himself as an
anti-corruption free society mortal having made such a statement about
the erstwhile Governors who are currently under the EFCC net for a case of
corruption.
With all due respect, the Minister of Justice should not play the role of
the piper that also dictates the tune, Justice is the pillar of all
budding society and if persons at the helm of affairs of such a sensitive
institution would not be consistent with commentsthen it only a shame and
disgrace to the institutionsof Justicein Nigeria.
Nigeria has reach a stage of booting out all and sundry that are working
against her progress having embarked on the voyage of image redemption at
the global level with International community most crucially with this all
time call to rebranding the nation.
More to say is that all hands are on deck and even the common man on the
street is aware that the nation has undergone some setback in the past
that calls for urgent attention.
Why would Michael Aondonkaa play to the gallery, pollute the Ministry of
Justice and stick out the image of Nigeria on an unpalatable platform of
highly integrated mismanagement of positionand be so involved in the
sleeze particularly when there is much to be done in Ministry he is
saddled with.
Obvious enough from their era as serving Governor (James Ibori, Victor
Attah, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu) is the fact that these myopic minded
hooliganspainted with the white wash paint of being governors of states
never served with good intention of moving their states forward but where
submerged with the business of looting and taking delight in destroying
resources met for the common good of the people.
Erstwhile Governor James Ibori (Delta) had at all material time from his
days as governor been fingered in major economic and financial crime in
the Countryand abroadand that doesn’t just ring a bell in the mind set
of these who call themselves crime investigating institution that
something is unquestionably up the sleeves of someone, I mean the cards
have been well placed on the table and one does not need a soothsayer to
read the hand writing on the wall.
These governor had always have a free show of themselves in the society as
they walk freely and parade themselves as such demi gods in the society,
they must be asked to produce all documents as it relates to the share
purchase involving the mobile phone. This is such an important national
issue that it is so surprising that Honourable Minister, Michael
Aondonkaa has sudden forgotten the interpretation given to both crime and
the law and the different meaning given to. His very essential of serving
as a minister has seen the light of day and his days on that most crucial
position are numbered.
Thought his tenure is still subsisting, his presence in the presidential
cabinet is a big threat to the Yar’Adua regime as his conscience is
snared with an attitude of greed and the one eyed monster of nation’s
pandemonium that has settled nicely into our society.
The EFCC having lodged another charge of economic crime against these
ex-governor, the factually challenging the smooth prosecution of these is
the undue interference with powers such as the Minister of Justice. The
EFCC haven debunked the public view of the open comment that the
ex-governor were not cleared by the EFCC, Mr. Minister have emphatically
stated that the governors were cleared by the EFCC.
More paramount is the fact that the EFCC has for once unveil and exposed
the ignoble role of Mr. Minister who blatantly obstructs justice, prevents
the law and dampens the anti-graft war. As a chief law officer
Michael Aondonkaa has fed Nigerians with heinous lies to the extent of
saying that the ex-governors have been exonerated from the EFCC while the
matter is still pending in court, such a shame and slap on the face of our
dear country.
Though Mr. Minister declines ever making such statement, he has further
proved to be an incompetent personality to say that at the time he assumed
office, he was not aware of the case, it goes to show a high level of lack
of diligence, lack of vision, foresight and an utmost disrespect for the
rule of law.
The above is predicated on a paradox or misbelieves of the usage of the
powers associated with the office of the Minister of Justice. It is
entirely an abuse of the Rule of law for a serving minister not to be
abreast with the happenings in his ministry, he does not mean this Country
well and we call for his immediate removal and to put an end to his
cancerous vires that are tantamount to the growth of the Country.
The question agitating the minds of the people is the extent of the nature
of the mindset of the EFCC and the Minister if same is consistent with the
effective administration of the country. Such degree of abate; coupled
with the non agility of other interest group is a ferocious attack on the
stability of the nation’s young democracy as well as the future of the
Nigeria populace.
His defence of being quoted out of context is a subtle attempt to
blackmail and intimidate the Supremacy of the rule of law and Court’s
justices.
Of course there will be the group who hate to stand up to the truth
because of the benefit from Mr. Minister odyssey as he is presently doing
to cover the shameless acts of his cohorts via Judicial oddity and enigma,
the truth must be told and all found wanting be brought to face the fury
of the law and not even the Minister can impede that.
There have been some legal-cum-political opinions about Honourable
Minister’s bid to salvage his name and his portfolio. To some people his
insensate views poses quite an almost insurmountable mountain of hurdles
before it, but then the fight against corruption has began and though it
will take a long journey, we will definitely get there.
However, if the truth must be told, these two crime fighting establishment
needs to be evaluated and their activities touch lighted to give a
finality to issues brought before them as failure to do this will weaken
the legality and or otherwise of a step taken by these establishment and
also bring an end to the mockery of our Judicial system as well as
creating devastating effect on the image of the Nigeria coming from
subsequent crime emanating from the various sectors of the country.
In the instant case, the EFCC is presented with a very simple issue that
needs immediate determination and interestingly the issue should be
wittingly and unwittingly distilled, and focus on the proper determination
of the case.
The question therefore is can the EFCC work contrary to the Ministry of
Justice? Fascinatingly, this question ought to be answer in the
affirmative save for the recent happenings.
It is trite that the ways of politics, sentiments and Justices are not
designed to meet, one therefore wonders why Michael Aondoakaa and his
cohorts are raising hells and using all forms of gimmicks to subvert due
progress of justice.
It is an additional formality superimposed on the law; it is essential and
one of the fundamentals of obtaining justice is that no officer of the law
should interfere or obstruct the smooth administration of Justice.
The Honourable Minister also should not allow politics to be played with
our law, as James Ibori, Victor Attah and Asiwaju Tinubu Bola have not in
themselves being in the good book of the country that they should seeks
for national sympathy but that it a national issue for the expansion of
our jurisprudence that will be beneficial to the people of Nigeria and the
people of the realm; that should be the focal point for both the Minister
and the EFCC, It is also a good test of our government’s rebranding
exercise as the entire world is watching our judicial system in the face
of the government and the present parlance of the President Yar’Adua
much canvassed 7 points agenda and the rule of Law.
______________________________ __
From the Office of:
'KAYODE A. AJULO, LL.B. (Hons.) LL.M., B.L., MNIM., fcl
Principal Partner; Dean of Research & Practice,
KAYODE AJULO & CO. CASTLE OF LAW
(Legal Practitioners/Consultants)
4th Floor, Metro Plaza, Central Business District,
Abuja-NIGERIA,
Tel: +234 (0) 803 315 4349, +234 (0) 803 596 3634
Fax: +234 9 524 2218
E-Mail: ajulook@yahoo.com,
enquiries@castleoflaw.com
www.castleoflaw.com
"Thou seeth a man
deligent at his work,
he will stand before
KINGS and not mean
men"
- Solomon, King of Israel (970-928 B.C.)
