AS the implementation of Executive Order 06 by President Muhammadu Buhari elicits varied reactions from stakeholders, groups and eminent Nigerians, former chairman, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Senator Olu Alabi, on Monday said Mr President was too hasty in the execution of the order.
He accused Buhari of being allegedly selective in the implementation of the Executive Order 06, contending that the list released by the federal government consisted of names of members of the opposition, saying such development indicated that the war against corruption lacked credibility and sincerity.
The development came as the lawmaker, representing Ife North State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon Babatunde Olatunji said Buhari deserved the commendation of Nigerians for taking the bold step in carrying out the order, which placed restriction on the traveling of about 50 Nigerians, mostly former state governors, ex- ministers and public office holders, being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corruption cases.
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Speaking during a telephone chat with the Nigerian Tribune in Osogbo, Alabi said: “most of the people being investigated for alleged corruption already have their international passports confiscated and it is the court that can order the seizure of passports.”
According to him, “this issue borders on the separation of powers, it is not good for our democracy. If the President believes that some people are guilty of corruption and they are under trial, they should wait until the end of the trial in the court. These are the cases before the judiciary and they should allow these cases to be decided.”
Alabi continued, “it is an overkill for personal executive order and it’s a first step to despotism. What this President does is that anybody in the APC is exonerated or shielded from being investigated. A prominent member of their party once said that corruption by the APC members is being treated with deodorant while the corruption by the PDP is being treated with insecticides”.
On the position of the PDP ‘s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that Executive Order 06 was capable of contributing to capital flight in the country in terms of investment, he averred that “the utterances and actions of this government had led to capital flight already. Some investors would be feeling unsecured that any government can just come up with any decision. It is a big problem.”
“It is not just executive order per se. It is because the President can jus wake up in a day and without passing through the parliament or judiciary make some orders that may not be good for the economy and that would be inimical to the growth of the nation”, Alabi asserted.
However, the lawmaker, representing Ife North State Constituency, Hon Olatunji maintained that “the order has been tested in the court of competent jurisdiction and the court held that Executive Order 06 is within the power of Mr President as contained in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He stated that “Mr President has acted in line with the constitution. If you look at the content of that order and the fact that ours is a society that has to battle with corruption, such argument and lamentation are not unexpected. Yo don’t expect it to go down well with the high and mighty in the society involved in corruption.”
“These are not men of little mean. They have the capacity, resources and other wherewithals at their disposal which they want to use to change the narratives to suit themselves. But, as Nigerians, we must commend the President who have taken the bold step. It takes strong political will for any sitting president in Nigeria to take the bull by the horn. The Executive Order is not new, it has been there for so long, but we don’t have leaders who have the political will. If it is being implemented for the first time, that is a testimony that he is committed to fighting corruption.”
“There is no country in the world that develop with corruption. There is no country or society without corruption, but you can only see a country being categorised as developed because such country had tackled corruption. We cannot be seen as a developed country without seeing corruption as an anathema. Any step taken to fight corruption should not controversial. Mr President has acted within the ambit of the law. We should encourage him and give his the support that he needs”, Olatunji remarked.
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