Looting: Stop retired civil servants from contesting elections, SAN begs FG

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA– A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Mohammed Ndarani, connected Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to barroom civilian servants from contesting for immoderate elective presumption for astatine slightest 1 twelvemonth aft their retirement.

According to him, the play would springiness the anti-corruption agencies the accidental to behaviour a forensic introspection of their assets vis-a-vis what they declared earlier the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB.

“Although the Code of Conduct was enactment successful spot to checkmate the inclination for nationalist bureau holders to loot the nationalist treasury portion successful office, sadly, that doesn’t look to person been effectual enough,” helium lamented.

Therefore, helium asked President Bola Tinubu to use the proviso of conception 315 of the 1999 Constitution, arsenic amended, “to prevention Nigeria from electing atrocious and corrupt leaders into political  offices come  2027.”

The senior, successful a connection helium made disposable to newsmen, said: “Another acceptable of elections and the accompanying electioneering campaigning are practically upon america already.

“Consequently, radical with governmental ambitions are already opening to propulsion their hats into the ringing each the mode from the section authorities tier to the presidency.

“These volition beryllium breathtaking times, indeed, but Nigerians mostly look to beryllium losing show of a cardinal flaw successful the full process.

“Among those expected to look arsenic governmental gladiators volition beryllium arsenic is ever the case, retired civilian servants, oregon those who resigned from nationalist work oregon governmental appointments.

“In Nigeria, it is mandatory for nationalist servants to state their assets nether the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

“A astir instructive question present nevertheless is, aft they permission the service, what happens? Do they routinely get investigated with their post-service assets by the anti-corruption agencies juxtaposed with what they had erstwhile they joined nationalist service?

“Sadly, this is hardly the case, but determination is crushed to analyse the individual.

“The inclination for nationalist servants successful Nigeria to plunder the nation’s treasury with shocking impunity during their employment is alarming and this is due to the fact that they privation to contention for governmental offices aft retirement.

“This gets progressively worse arsenic the day of their disengagement approaches.

“Most of them bash this to amass immense amounts of wealth with which to money their predetermination campaigns.

“These elections usually spot them enactment their mode into lofty governmental positions that would further heighten their quality to further beverage the nation, often with small oregon nary accountability.

“This is particularly truthful due to the fact that Nigerian politicians spot electoral offices arsenic situations of winner-takes-all, and this with nary respect for the extant laws.

“In the archetypal lawsuit determination are laws nether the Electoral Act 2022 guiding the financing of predetermination campaigns.

“Section 88(2-7) stipulates the limits allowed for predetermination expenses. Everybody conscionable pays articulator work to this veritable cheque and imaginable artifact to the activities of corrupt officials.

“The reluctance and astatine times outright refusal by nationalist officials to publically state and taxable their Asset declaration Forms and different documents and comply with different provisions of the Code of Conduct is liable for the precocious level of corruption successful the nationalist work of Nigeria.

“Sadly though, our politicians person been known to flout these laws with full impunity. Many of them walk humongous amounts of wealth and successful the process, basal the remainder of the electoral laws connected their heads.

“This explains the main crushed wherefore galore of them portion successful nationalist service, enactment their pockets by each imaginable means, successful anticipation of their making a foray into politics.

“It is origin for large interest that we hardly ever perceive of politicians being sanctioned for moving foul of the provisions of the said conception 88(2-7), adjacent erstwhile we cognize that they are routinely flouted.

“Also governmental bureau holders bash the same, th...