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Re: Utomi Faults FG
On $462m AFC Probe Read the full article.

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Dr. Utomi:

It is heartening to read your clarification. I cannot disagree with much of what you wrote. As you stated, and as I made clear in my earlier intervention on this issue, there is indeed an element of exhibitionist theatre and gratification in these probes. And the motive is sometimes less than a sincere commitment to transparency. But for what they are worth, they fill the public space with useful information on the looting of the commonwealth. They satisfy the public's right to know. In the absence of the FOI bill, and considering how secretive government and governance can be in Nigeria, these probes--in all their display of political showmanship--fill that information gap.

We have seen probes come and go, with little if any restitutive or punitive implementation of their logical conclusions. But so long as these inquests unearth information, statistics, and crimes that would have remained concealed, I am all for them. If for nothing else, Nigerians are being armed with information that will help them engage and challenge their leaders better.

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While those probing can proceed, the legislative agenda and other businesses should go on full blast and that the probe should avoid becoming a national embarrassment where institutions of international business then continue to sully our reputation as unreliable, thereby making it harder to attract investments to environment.

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I have to disagree slightly with this. I believe that probes and the spectacular revelations that come out of them cut both ways. They could, indeed, portray our investment environment as chaotic, unpreditable and unstable. But they could also convince--for good or ill--foreign investors that Nigeria is doing something, no matter how shoddy, politicized, and slow, to financial investigate wrong doing.

There are dishonest foreign investors who thrive on corruption, instability, and regulatory ambiguity. These folks may not like the fact that their actions or those of their Nigerian allies may become the subject of public inquiry in the future. Seeing the on-going probes may therefore discourage them and reinforce cause them to pile on Nigeria more bad press. But there are other foreign investors who may--perhaps naively--welcome these probes as at best half-hearted efforts to minimize the rot. These investors may respond positively.

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First of all, I applaud the humbleness of Dr. Utomi for reacting to the public opinion about his comment. While he deemed it fit to put his statement in a proper context, some of his clueless defenders here are busy throwing insults right, left and center.

Dr. Utomi I still believe your statement should have been couched in a more generic term without specific reference to Prof. Soludo since his is not the only probe going on at this time.

However I still commend you for having the courage to respect and react to public opinion.

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=tonsoyo;4295018212>
However I still commend you for having the courage to respect and react to public opinion.

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That rebuttal appeared more to me like Prof Utomi 'retracing his steps backwards' and attempting to redeem his image.

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=omakingbogun;4295018215>
That rebuttal appeared more to me like Prof Utomi 'retracing his steps backwards' and attempting to redeem his image.

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No doubt. But some people would have stubbornly stuck to their gun. It is a good and a honorable thing to show tacit remorse.

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I appreciate and thank Pat Utomi's humble disposition by clarifying his original intent. It shows that he listens and knows that people of reasoning were appalled and really angry at what they understand by his initial assertion...this off course includes me.

However, I still believe that if you don't know where you are coming from, you will never know where you are going. Also it might be true that the probe will not lead the country anywhere because of past experiences, but it is also a rightful thing to do so that Nigerians know exactly who their enemies are, let Nigerians know who are the thieves, let Nigerians know the real people EFCC should go after and not the fuzzy act of EFCC during OBJ's unfortunate 8 years of waste.

I came to realize that it is not the amount of money thrown at any establishment that makes organization work and become efficient, it is the managers and operators of the establishment that make organization work. As such I believe that if the probe is well managed it will help to root out the bad people in NNPC, PHCN, Custom, etc.

The question here is will the probe be sincere and honest and go to the bottom of the problem?

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=Onari;4295018241>
The question here is will the probe be sincere and honest and go to the bottom of the problem?

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1) How do you judge if an investigative panel of enquiry is sincere in a Nigerian setting?

2) Do our leaders deserve the benefit of doubt?

3) Should they be regarded as 'Innocent until proven guilty'?

4) Why do we have to often knock down our leaders whether they are honest or not, or have contributed to some semblance of achievement while in office?

These are the questions that come to mind in a situation where we don't now know who's telling the truth and who's telling lies, where everything has been politicised and where the 'Real criminal bestride our corridors of power untethered.It's ghastly really!!

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=omakingbogun;4295018248>
1) How do you judge if an investigative panel of enquiry is sincere in a Nigerian setting?

2) Do our leaders deserve the benefit of doubt?

3) Should they be regarded as 'Innocent until proven guilty'?

4) Why do we have to often knock down our leaders whether they are honest or not, or have contributed to some semblance of achievement while in office?

These are the questions that come to mind in a situation where we don't now know who's telling the truth and who's telling lies, where everything has been politicised and where the 'Real criminal bestride our corridors of power untethered.It's ghastly really!!

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Omakingbogun,

You completed the questions running through my head. I can not agree more with you. Thank You. On the other hand, there are so many benchmark to measure some semblance of honesty from leaders, and some of these benchmark honestly the Yaradua Government has fallen short, example the rhetoric of election reform run directly opposite to what we have seen in rerun of some of the Gubernatorial election so far.

Nigerians has genuine reason to be skeptical of what their leaders tell them...so many examples of misuse of the good will of Nigerians are all over the place. It is then the function of the leaders to show that honesty by their deeds, words followed by equal action. Nigerians have not seen that at least for the past 22 years, that is the gospel truth.

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=Onari;4295018255>Omakingbogun,

You completed the questions running through my head. I can not agree more with you. Thank You. On the other hand, there are so many benchmark to measure some semblance of honesty from leaders, and some of these benchmark honestly the Yaradua Government has fallen shot, example the rhetoric of election reform run directly opposite to what we have seen in rerun of some of the Gubernatorial election so far.

Nigerians has genuine reason to be skeptical of what their leaders tell them...so many examples of misuse of the good will of Nigerians are all over the place. It is then the function of the leaders to show that honesty by their deeds, words followed by equal action. Nigerians have not seen that at least for the past 22 years, that is the gospel truth.

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One fundamental problem we have in nigerian politics especially is that many of these political parties have no discernible programmes for the benefit of the Nigerian masses. To be honest with you, many of these political parties are not essentially 'people oriented'. Alas, they tell you one thing, and go about doing something else. In more 'clued up' countries that is enough to boot the out at the next available opportunity, which does not essentially have to be at the polls. There is a provision in the constitutiton that stipulates that the electorale (the people from a particular constituency) can RECALL their eleected officers whenever they feel the need to do so.

These politicians do not have the capacity to do what's right by the ordinary people. In turn, the Nigerian masses seem to be waiting for these ill - equiped politicians to have mercy on them, and do something meaningful for them for once. The Nigerian masses MUST 'sieze the bull by the horn'. They must take the INITIATIVE. They must reposition themselves in such a way that they will be the ones telling these politicians what they want from them, and if the as much as refuse to do it Nigerian masses should have the scrupples to KICK THEM OUT EMPHATICALLY.

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This whole issue of probe is becoming irritating and embarrasing. Why embark on exercises that would lead nowhere except draining our resources. I understand the whole 'jamboree' has gulped close to N1 billion and we know members of this panels are no cleaner than those being probed and I suggest a commitee be set up to look into their activities while the 'wild goose chase' lasted.

Frustration