By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
The immediate past chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) Kaduna state chapter, Rev. Dr. John Joseph Hayab has warned that the allegations of corruption leveled against former Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai must not be swept under carpet.
Hayab gave the warning in Kaduna on Thursday in an interview said that leaders who served the people with impunity must be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Describing the findings of Kaduna state House of Assembly, where the governor was indicted to have embezzled the sum of N423bn as heartbreaking, the cleric likened El-rufai’s tough posture with the typical way lions in the jungle behave, chasing away other animals only to eat all accrued meat alone.
He added that, “most times, many describe individuals who appear to take a ‘tough posture’ as “a lion” and when a leader is attributed with the appellation “lion” or “bulldozer” such is likely carried away by name-calling and act to prove the ‘lion’ in him or her and could end up threatening everyone, who dares to challenge how such evokes the power of office to bully individuals at time plot excuses to silent anyone who stands on the way, or questions the way such run the office they hold.
“The paradox is that the so called “tough posture” the former governor displayed with an air of “know it all” could be associated with the typical way lions in the jungle behave, chasing away other animals only to eat all accrued meat alone. Besides, the sad development tells a lot about the damage praise singing can cause society, whether at the federal, state, or local level.
“To add salt to injury, reading through the report of Kaduna State House of Assembly’s Ad hoc committee investigating the loans collected by the previous administration and the way and manner the commonwealth of Kaduna people was spent, reveals that the “lion” must have eaten the meat that is forbidden, with allegations of likely money laundering. What a tragedy!
“The figures of money unaccounted for reported by the KDSHA committee make one wonder if those who cornered the fortunes of the state into private pockets have any conscience at all. The other cause for worry is why should the masses of Kaduna suffer when very few individuals stash away loans purportedly taken to better their lives and at the end of the day deny the populace the services promised them.
“What is more worrying is that many talented and industrious young educated persons who should be in the front calling on leaders to be accountable now seem dedicated to praise singing, trying to paint individuals in leadership positions with little or no integrity to look angelic for a pot of soup at the expense of generations unborn.
“When people engage in divisive action to cover up for the evil they do, it is godly people who should come out publicly and unite to condemn and resist such a move. Our children and future generations will not forgive us if we keep quiet and allow evil like the revelation coming from the investigations by the KDSHA to go with impunity. Accordingly, I commend our state assembly members for showing courage to come out strongly united to call wrong by its name irrespective of who is involved. Our support and prayers should not stop until every deceit is exposed.
“On account of the charge of preliminary findings on the dealing by Elrufai’s led government, I strongly appeal to Kaduna State citizens to unite and insist that justice is served. Anyone who fails to account for the collective fortunes of the citizenry should be compelled by law to refund the funds side-tracked or face the consequences prescribed by law.
“The current governor of the state must be applauded for not taking sides and not interfering with the decisions and actions of the legislative house. If the Governor were to be from another party, the story would be as if it is a vendetta or witch hunt. By this one act, H.E. Uba Sani has proven that leadership is service to God and humanity and not about sectionalism, calling for accountability.”