I think supporters of both key actors have not been helping matters. They both try to paint the entire picture in black or white. Pro-Obasanjo commentators say it is a simple case of corruption. Atiku is corrupt. EFCC has proved it. So Atiku should simply defend himself or keep quiet. Yet, any analyst who is very true to his conscience will know that the case is not as simple as that. On the other hand, the Atiku supporters, who curiously are not claiming that Atiku has not committed any offence, insist that Obasanjo is a beneficiary of the sleaze. Therefore what? Should we say: “Mr. VP, even though you have done something wrong, you are hereby discharged and acquitted because Obasanjo too is not a saint”? That, to me, is very insincere and desperate. The issues are far more critical than both camps are trying to portray them and the best thing that can happen—from the way I see it—is for Nigeria and Nigerians to come out the ultimate winners.

How would Nigerians be the winners? That is what I will strive to answer today. For a very long time, I have always suspected that Atiku is unclean (“I no be thief”) and that Obasanjo is far from spotless (“I no be rogue”). What surprised me is that Atiku's biggest offence is that he authorised the transfer of PTDF funds to two banks without recourse to due process. I was surprised that Atiku was not even accused of embezzling the funds. I was expecting to read that Atiku stole so and so millions or billions of naira from the PTDF. Rather, he was accused of channelling the funds through some banks so that the money would be lent to his friends. The loans have been repaid, we were told, but some interests or commissions were lost. No doubt, Atiku breached his oath of office. The fact that Obasanjo is persecuting him does not make it less an offence. A crime is a crime. If he has to be impeached, he should. Using public funds for personal interests is clearly a crime.

However, I am a little bit scandalised that this is all Obasanjo or EFCC could find against Atiku in seven years. From the impression I have always had about Atiku, dating back to the privatisation days between 1999 and 2003, I was expecting something more incriminating. For instance, I was once told by those who should know that the National Stadium in Abuja was supposed to be 100,000 capacity at a certain cost, but the stadium was reduced to 60,000 at a higher cost. Atiku was held responsible for this. True or false? We need to know.

I was also told that the All Africa Games hosted by Nigeria in 2003 was one massive bazaar under Atiku's watch. I was expecting some heavy indictments for these, but what I got, alas, was the charge of (mis)placement of PTDF funds. Perhaps, digging into National Stadium and COJA could also produce the unintended effect by indicting some other people, so it was more convenient to focus on PTDF, which is about the only parastatal directly under Atiku's leadership. Anyway, the PTDF indictment is enough to nail Atiku politically. And rather than saying, “I am not the only thief”, Atiku should, for goodness sake, clear himself convincingly. His defence so far is diversionary. It is full of half-truths, mudslinging and delicate lies.

Which brings me to the next point. Atiku's defence may be diversionary, but it is not useless. It is very unhelpful that pro-Obasanjo commentators are trying to bury the issues as they affect Obasanjo on this matter. All they are saying is: “Atiku, defend yourself and leave Obasanjo out of this.” This is cheap and hypocritical. Nigerians will benefit more if the whole story is told. We have to fight corruption and fight it vigorously. I have always suspected that this is the most corrupt government in the history of Africa—the only thing I don't have is evidence. Nigerians will benefit tremendously if both Obasanjo and Atiku will produce enough evidence to expose each other. Let them weave the ropes with which we will hang them. Dear God, how I desire this from the bottom of my heart!

If Atiku's defence is diversionary, Obasanjo's response is not less so. We have a proverb in my village which says “eni t'ogbepo l'aja ati eni t'ogba s'ile, ole lawon mejeji”. My translation skills are legendarily poor, but I will try: “A looter and the beneficiary of loot are both guilty.” The police authorities also say a thief and the receiver of stolen goods are both liable. Atiku claims he was giving tonnes and tonnes of naira to Obasanjo's girls, companies and village. Obasanjo's defence? “I never told him to divert public funds to my friends and family. If he did that, that is his own problem.” Coming from a president who has been telling the whole world that he is fighting corruption, this is most tragic. A very sincere president would have asked Atiku: “All this money you are doling out, where did you get it from? Are you minting money in your bedroom, Mr. VP?” This is a moral issue. To turn a blind eye and now use it against Atiku is to be clever by half. If you know I am a thief, why should you enjoy my loot with me and then turn around to accuse me of stealing? Is this what pro-Obasanjo combatants want to gloss over?

Another issue I find very interesting is the Dariye Loot. According to the president, the N100 million allegedly donated to the PDP by the Plateau State governor was actually given to Atiku. When it became an EFCC matter, the president bailed the “broke” Atiku out by giving him N50 million (“as usual”, said Remi Oyo) to settle the case. My God, am I the only one who spotted something here? Where did the president get the N50 million? Could it have been his accumulated leave bonus since 1999? I mean, the president just dug his hand into his pocket and “dashed” Atiku N50 million just like that? Was it in cash? Was it through a cheque? Whose cheque was it? How come Nigerians are not asking these questions? Is Obasanjo so rich that he can just hand out N50 million the same way I would give my gateman N50 to go and have a decent lunch? Was it from his security vote? Is this how our money is spent—to protect corrupt a VP from EFCC probe? I want to make a guess: maybe the money came from Obasanjo Farms Ltd. Last year, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, Obasanjo's former SA on Public Affairs, in telling us the origin of Obasanjo's wealth, said the president was earning about N30 million monthly from his Ota farms.

Let's say Obasanjo actually earns N30 million from his farms every month. That means the president is still conducting business by the side. Presidency is a part-time job, isn't it? OK, Obasanjo Holdings Ltd, which manages the farms, owns the shares in Transcorp. That means if Transcorp had become profitable and had started paying dividends, the president could also be earning about N30 million monthly from his Transcorp shares. The president said on national TV years ago that he would tell his company to invest in Transcorp. That means the president was still issuing directives to his company. Following this Atiku scandal, the president has told his company to divest from Transcorp, according to Dr. Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, the chairperson of Transcorp. That means the president still tells his company what to do and what not to do. So what is all this lie that Obasanjo has stopped all dealings with his company since 1999, having handed over to two trustees—Elder Atsu and Lucky Egede? Do the president's spin doctors know that running business by the side is an impeachable offence? By the way, can EFCC please help us investigate who has been signing the First Bank cheques of Obasanjo Farms since 1999? If the signature is “O.O.”, as alleged by Orji Uzor Kalu, then somebody also has a case to answer.

If you are very familiar with the sleaze in Nigerian politics, it is clear that what politicians do is to use business fronts to build funds for their election campaigns. This practice has to stop. Maybe it would stop with Atiku going to jail, and Obasanjo also facing the laws of the land, if not now then after his exit next year. That may serve as a deterrent to future rulers. Embezzlement is a crime. Inflation of contracts is a crime. Funnelling public funds to business fronts is a crime. Being an accessory to or a beneficiary of looting is also a crime. No crime should be overlooked. Anybody who wishes Nigeria well will not defend Atiku, neither should any sincere commentator ignore the fact that Obasanjo also has a case to answer. To pitch tent with either Atiku or Obasanjo is a disservice to fairness and justice. Unblemished justice in the interest of hapless Nigerians should dictate that all corrupt practices must be condemned and punished with identical zeal.

Sadly, many Nigerians have become too biased over this issue. Responding to my article of last Sunday, one man from Zamfara, used such glowing words as “stupid” to eulogise me. His quarrel with me is that I blamed Atiku for corruption whereas “Obasanjo too is corrupt”—as if I ever insinuated Obasanjo was a saint. The most enjoyable allegation by Atiku supporters is that I was doing a hatchet job for Obasanjo because I accused Atiku of disloyalty.

Someone even insinuated I was “paid” to criticise Atiku. I enjoyed this allegation so much because not so long ago, intelligence operatives were on my neck for being “too critical” of the president. They said they had “evidence” to show that it was Atiku that paid the school fees for my Master's programme at the University of Sussex. When they were confronted with hard facts that I was on a British government scholarship (something I could never dream of getting from my fatherland), they modified their allegation and said Atiku was paying me “upkeep” allowance. Unfortunately, not even the good old cowry was given to me by Atiku, not to talk of a leaf of pound sterling or a sheaf of naira. I hope the EFCC searched very meticulously to see if I also benefited from the PTDF funds.

These trumped-up passions and spurious allegations will not solve our problems. The real issue is that we must fight corruption totally, transparently and equitably to set Nigeria free, no matter who is implicated. Atiku stands accused of misappropriating public funds; and Obasanjo stands accused of being an accomplice and a beneficiary. “You be armu robber/I no be armu robber”. Let both men face the music. This is all “argument, argument, argue”. Long suffering Nigerians deserve something better than this from those they elected to better their lot.

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