BANKOLE THE SCAPEGOAT & EFCC's SELECTIVE JUSTICE

The news of the arrest of the erstwhile speaker of the house of representatives Rt. Hon Dimeji Bankole by the operatives of the Economic and financial crimes commission EFCC didn't come as a surprise to many Nigerians who have for a long time been eager to see corrupt public office holders prosecuted by the agency who's once fierce reputation has gradually dwindled to that of a toothless bulldog.

While the arrest of Dimeji Bankole might have generated the sort of sensational response that the EFCC hoped to achieve by the arrest, the mode of arrest and the motive behind the arrest raise a lot of issues. For instance, why was the former speaker not arrested earlier than now, when he has no constitutional immunity even as the incumbent speaker??? Why was he arrested, when the EFCC had agreed to allow him turn himself in on Monday 6th june 2011??? Was he actually planning to escape even when he had been placed under 24 hour surveillance/ house arrest??? And why is he the only public officer from the last dispensation that has been arrested????

As the may 29 2011 hand over day approached after the general elections that had seen the opposition take over many more posts, the average Nigerian had expected that the nations anti graft agencies would have swiftly moved into action against certain public office holders who were either defeated in their re election bids or had completed their full terms in office, who had been widely regarded as most corrupt during the previous dispensation.

To the greatest surprise of all, three of the most prominent personalities that should have been invited by the EFCC to explain their roles in various corruption allegations levied against them had been so to speak left to roam the streets with not even as much as an invitation by the nations anti corruption watch dog.

To wash itself clean, the EFCC would have to bring to book other political criminals as Gbenga Daniel, Christopher Alao Akala, and Ikedi Ohiakim, or else Dimeji Bankoles arrest would continue to smirk of victimization and political witch hunting. The time has come for the anti corruption crusade to become holistic without preference or prejudice and without any persons seen as sacred cows or above the law.

Its unfortunate that the former speaker would emerge as the scapegoat of the anti corruption crusade of the Farida Wazziri led EFCC, however the truth be told, he has a lot of questions to answer to the Nigerian people as to how the 10 billion naira was spent and what sort of invisible cars were bought for 2.5 billion Naira.

I hereby use this medium to call on the EFCC and all other anti graft agencies to invite or declare wanted all former public office holders of the last political dispensation who have any form of allegations of corruption levied against them, most prominently Gbenga Daniel, Christopher Alao Akala and Ikedi Ohiakim. Enough of selective justice, Nigerians want true Justice.

God bless Nigeria
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