Opinion

Romania and the proposed 2Face protest

By Muyiwa Olayinka

tuface-idibia
2Face

In Romania, there was a decree that was to be passed to law. It borders on war against corruption

The government wanted to decriminalise any corrupt act that is committed once it is below €44,000.

In other words, under its proposed terms it would have decriminalised abuse of power offences when sums of less than €44,000 (£38,000) are involved.

One immediate beneficiary would have been Liviu Dragnea who leads the ruling PSD party and faces charges of defrauding the state of €24,000.

The people were incensed. About 140,000 Romanian protesters took to the streets to protest this decree.

They went to the grounds that is close to the office of the Prime Minister to show their disdain and  grievances.

This is the power of the people. The system was almost shut down.

The Romanian government thus backed down from plans to decriminalise corruption offences after days of mass protests in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania.

The prime minister, Sorin Grindeanu, said that the law would be repealed in a cabinet meeting.

“We’ll hold an extraordinary meeting on Sunday to repeal the decree, withdraw, cancel it and find a legal way to make sure it does not take effect,” Grindeanu said in a televised speech.

In Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari came to the office with the promise to fight corruption and fix the economy. He also promised to fight insurgency and Boko Haram in the north east.

Almost 2 years in office, the President has fared better in fighting Boko haram and pushing insurgents out of Nigerian territories. The spate of bombings have reduced considerably.

In the war against corruption, we have seen more political will on the part of government. Many political figures were arrested and detained.

Some have started returning ill gotten monies to the treasury. Some high ranking officials, cronies and family members are facing different charges in courts.

But in recent times, the fight has been turned to a political tool simply because most that are affected are mainly from the opposition party.

It is becoming obvious that members of the ruling party acussed are being treated as sacred cows.

The Secretary General of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, have been accused of conflict of interest in discharging his assigned task.

Rholavision Engineering Limited, said to be owned by Babachir Lawal is the company that was fingered in the scam.

The SGF heads the Presidential committee on the resettling of the displaced people resulting from Boko haram activities in the north east.

Despite facts presented, the government has not deemed it fit to suspend the SGF pending the determination of the investigative panel.

It is rather sad that this government has cleared him of any wrong doing.

The Chief of Army staff was accused of owning two houses in Dubai, United Arab Emirate. It remains to be seen how a public official or a serving general of the Nigerian army could afford to build two houses worth $1.5 million with his salary?

The state of economy had been battered by recession. Sky rocket of prices of goods and services, galloping inflation, job losses, foreign exchange crises with the Nigerian currency, Naira, almost becoming worthless.

Life is becoming short and brutish. Despite this hardship, government officials are living in opulence.

The national budget makes provision for frivolities.Recurrent expenditure has ballooned compared to capital expenditure

Recurrent expenditure had been deliberately made so bogus to take care of government official’s inanity and ostentatious lifestyles.

The Nigerian masses led by Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, aka, 2Face, has proposed to go on national protest against some of these malaise enumerated.

Monday, February 6th had been chosen to organise a national protest against perverse hunger in the land.

He had received support from all over the nation because it is becoming unbearable to survive in Nigeria.

Nigerians should come out to in large numbers to put this government on their toes in order to do the needful.

It is high time to ask the authority to fulfill promises made to Nigerian electorates.

How come some few fortunate high ranking officials are enjoying the common patrimony to the detriment of the masses.

This is a call to duty. If the Romanians can challenge the government to change an unpopular decision, if they can force their government to listen to their demands, then Nigerians can do the same.

We must not be timid, we must not waiver and be determined to change the course of action.

The sovereignty of this government lies with the people, we must use it to reverse this destructive trend.

#IstandWith2Baba

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