Toyin Saraki’s invitation by EFCC: More questions than answers

It appears the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; EFCC has breathed a new life at the dawn of this new government. Since President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated on May 29, 2015, there has been a flurry of activities at the agency charged with the responsibility of arresting endemic corruption in our country. Whatever happened to that organisation since the regime of the last government is left to anyone’s guess but it is certainly curious how the same agency peopled by the same personnel could not raise its voice let alone finger, in the last several years until this present regime. Something is definitely amiss and it will be unfortunate if what we suspect is the reality.

Sometime last week, news made the rounds that wife of the President of the Senate, Her Excellency, Barrister Toyin Saraki had been invited by the anti-graft agency for clarification on some issues. Although the commission did not specify on the areas it needed clarification, which is contrary to their practice direction, nonetheless, the wife of the former governor of Kwara state immediately responded through her office that she is more than willing to attend to the clarification session at the date specified in the EFCC’s letter.

Since this questionable invitation, many commentators smell a rat. They query how come Mrs. Saraki, who has never held any public office (elective or by appointment) should be called to question over public related financial matters? This is more so coming five years after she and her husband left Government House, Ilorin. For us, it appears the EFCC led by Ibrahim Lamorde is fixated on the gallery. The frenzy that has trailed their activities recently could be a testimony to a well rehearsed script to excite the public on one hand, while pretending something is being done about corruption; on the other hand, is to ingratiate themselves to the new president so that staff and leadership of the EFCC would appear they are “working hard”.

With the Mrs. Saraki's invitation, other invitations were extended to two other former wives of the former governors. We think that this is just to give this Kwara invitation a “federal character face” in order to achieve a clandestine purpose. We want to be proved wrong. The fact is that Mrs. Toyin Saraki has been a woman of means and values long before her husband ventured into politics. She runs a couple of companies and has interest in a few more. A scion of the well to do and well regarded Ojora family of Lagos; she has lived a life of honour and affluence. Little wonder that she is among, if not the only former governor’s wife that retains her pet project long after her husband left office.

Her commitment to public good is legendary and without measure, therefore is not a candidate for political ridicule, even if she is not the target as has been insinuated in some quarters. Mrs. Saraki runs the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. This public spirited non governmental organisation caters for women’s needs, especially the girl-child. She ran this organisation so admirably that even after leaving office as first lady five years ago, instead of the pet project to die like others, it has grown from a Kwara state project to a Nigerian project and now it has become a continental organisation. On the strength of her organisation, she now partners the United Nations and has had cause to address that global body on a number of occasions. Mrs. Saraki is a global citizen with renown, based on her passion for the elevation of women issues.

Our hope therefore, is that just as the letter read, this is an invitation for clarification. This must not and should not be a merry-go-round campaign of calumny or witch-hunt. We shudder to think that this invitation has anything to do with the current political crisis at the Senate where her husband is pitched against some powerful forces within their party. Let politics be politics and let corruption investigation be what it is: investigation. The two must not be mixed by whatsoever name. It is normal for politicians to argue and sometimes fight. But like every other political issue, politicians will find ways and means to settle. But targeted invitations like this, which has become EFCC’s pastime only goes to further polarise an already bad situation. EFCC should not be caught up in such situation. That body, in order for it to succeed must be immuned to political control. In all, we commend Mrs. Saraki’s exemplary conduct of immediately accepting to appear before EFCC to others. That is the way to go.

#editorial