P.M. NEWS Nigeria<\/p>\n
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Last Saturday\u2019s fundraiser in Lagos, in aid of St. Stephen\u2019s Anglican Church Deanery and Youth Development Centre, Otuoke, Bayelsa State \u2013 a church being promoted by President Goodluck Jonathan – was clearly an abuse of office and privilege.<\/p>\n
President Jonathan, on the day, had led few state governors, business tycoons and other benefiting political hangers-on to donate to the church, which was originally donated to his community by Gitto Contstruzioni Generalli, an Italian construction firm working in Nigeria. The fundraiser, which yielded N6 billion, has become as controversial as the initial donation of the 2,500 capacity church to his community.<\/p>\n
Critics argued that the offer and acceptance of such gift is morally reprehensible, corrupt and a violation of Section 6 of the Code of Conduct for public officers embodied in the First Schedule of the 1999 constitution and the Code of Conduct and Tribunal Act (CAP C15) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.<\/p>\n
The section states that, \u201cA public officer shall not ask for or accept any property or benefits of any kind for himself or any other person on account of anything done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the purposes of subsection (1) of this subsection, the receipt by a public officer of any gifts or benefits from commercial firms, business enterprises or persons who have contracts with the government shall be presumed to have been received in contravention\u2026unless the contrary is proved.\u201d<\/p>\n
But the President barefacedly defended his action, with such gusto and impunity Nigerian \u201cpower adventuresrs\u201d are noted for. The President\u2019s latest misdemeanour underscores his flagrant disregard for constitutionalism and the constitution, which he swore to uphold.<\/p>\n
The church donation saw the single biggest donation of N1.8bn from an oil magnate Prince Authur Eze. Other donors included the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, N230 million, which he donated on behalf of PDP Governors Forum; Governor Liyel Imoke, N100 million as well as the private sector, N5bn. Expectedly, stern condemnations have dwarfed whatever good intention the President might have, particularly because he had chosen a wrong time to pass his elitist offering basket.<\/p>\n
While we do not oppose donating to God\u2019s cause, if that was the intention, it is brazen corruption to goad businessmen, who have links with the Federal Government, to donate to a cause that is entirely a private affair. This is crony capitalism that has a tendency to inspire preferential treatments to the donors by the government.<\/p>\n
Given Nigeria\u2019s patronage system and the loose, crooked and opaque machinery upon which our economy runs, the donors might have been driven more by lip-service and display of naked loyalty to power. Arguably, many of donors are crony capitalists, who would always ensure the preservation of the abhorrent status quo.<\/p>\n
This explained why Authur Eze, in a media interaction in 2009, argued that the despotic regime of General Sani Abacha was better than civilian administrations in the country since 1999. We state unequivocally that because former President Olusegun Obasanjo did same in the case of his Presidential Library is not a license for other officers of government to follow suit. It is essential that public office should not be used for private gain.<\/p>\n