Gov. Fayose's call for action on Lawal and Oke's report: A needed reminder

Governor Ayodele Fayose has assumed the responsibility of Spokesman of the PDP in recent times. As the Chairman of the PDP governors’ forum, he has taken it upon himself to be the voice of the opposition. This is commendable as Olisah Metuh fights his own battle. Fayose like all our past Governors has been testing his popularity and looking for the next safe spot in political offices. He has considered completing his 7 months of impeachment for which he had paid himself upon resumption in his second term, he is considering the Presidential office, though he is not a Presidential material, in my modest opinion. Eventually, he would likely come back to where his ilks go and lack the immunity that he is shopping for - the den of undistinguished fellows at the National Assembly - the Senate.

In an effort aimed at standing for the people and acting like a Presidential candidate, Fayose in his usual manner wrote the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo to demand for the immediate release of the investigative panel report on corruption allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency. He is also asking the Vice President to actually act on the report. This is undoubtedly good to our ears, as there was a time frame within which it was expected to be completed and action taken – except the Presidency stage-managed it all expecting Nigerians to forget about it over time. No, we have not forgotten, and not the opposition especially. That assignment must not be a waste of time and resources from the Vice Presidents Office. Did he go through the investigations to give us nothing? Are they hiding or shielding something or someone? Is the fight against corruption truly objective? These are the many questions the actions and inactions of the Vice President brings to fore.

To act on the report is to take a position on the status of the duo of Lawal and Oke. The Vice President cannot be the investigator and the executioner at the same time as the rules of natural justice precludes him from punishing if the report indicts. Fayose is asking Osinbajo to release the report, but the question remains to whom. The assignment was given by President Muhammadu Buhari, can he submit or release the report to another person without ‘repercussions’? If Fayose gives an assignment to his Deputy and he reports to another would it not amount to insolence? In so far as the suspended officials remains suspended, there should be no cause for alarm.

Governor Fayose has gladly threatened to go to the court to compel the Acting President to release and act on the report. This is the right course of action that will guarantee results and form part of our jurisprudence in administrative law. While the buck stops at the President’s desk on the report, the Presidency whether through the President or Vice President must demonstrate that the war on corruption is not selective and ensure that there are no sacred cows in its fold. Whoever is found culpable should be handed over to the EFCC to show to Nigerians that the APC led government is serious about fighting corruption.