? A call to Organized Civil Society in Nigeria to uphold anti-corruption standards with consistency

By FRANK TIETIE

The revelations by Nigerian social crusader, investigative journalist, and activist, Omoyele Sowore, regarding the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, are serious and warrant the attention of all Nigerians who care about the integrity of the country. Sowore has alleged that Wike laundered funds and concealed the purchase of real estate in Florida, USA, worth over 6 million dollars in the name of his wife and children.

While Sowore deserves commendation for his consistent bravery, his legal team must follow proper procedures in presenting their evidence against Wike to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Given the cross-border nature of the alleged crimes of money laundering and concealment of criminal proceeds, it may not be appropriate for a regional entity to handle the matter, especially since it involves treaty law.

Sowore?s legal team should, as a first step, activate the provisions of the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act of 2019. This would compel the Nigerian Attorney General to request the United States Attorney General to initiate an investigation into the allegations against Wike, assuming that he would refuse to cooperate for political reasons.

Wike has acknowledged the ownership of the Florida properties by his wife, Her Lordship, Hon. Justice Suzzette Wike, and their children. Therefore, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) must promptly investigate and inform the public whether Wike declared these U.S.-based properties in his mandatory asset declaration form, which requires him to declare property owned by himself, his spouse, and children under 18 years old.

If it is determined that Wike and/or his wife did not declare these assets as required by Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal Act, the case must be referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). At that point, Wike should either resign or be dismissed by the President, and his wife, a respected Justice of the Court of Appeal, should be suspended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) pending the determination of the issues by the CCT. It is important to remember that the removal of a sitting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, occurred following a mere ex parte application alleging a breach of the CCB Act regarding an undeclared asset. It is important that the fight against corruption in Nigeria must be systemic and cannot afford to be politically correct by yielding to the preferences of President Tinubu or the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The recent allegations against Wike extend beyond Omoyele Sowore, the complainant and social crusader of our time. While he (Sowore) may not be perfect, he appears to be one of the few willing to call out poor leadership in Nigeria consistently. The allegations surrounding Wike's Florida properties, as exposed by Sowore, have put the present and future state of the fight against corruption in Nigeria on trial, which is currently hanging in the balance. It is therefore unproductive and unjust to attempt to discredit Sowore, as Lere Olayinka, a media assistant to Wike, is doing on social media, in an effort to obscure the key issues with trivialities. Lere is simply wasting his time and efforts.

Nigerian civil society leaders and activists must shake off their present lethargy and unite as they once did in advocating for the removal of Kemi Adeosun as Minister of Finance when she falsely claimed to have provided a valid NYSC certificate. Those in civil society, myself included, should be ashamed that since using Adeosun as a scapegoat in what seemed an advocacy exercise, they have collectively lost the resolve to denounce corrupt public officials and demand their immediate resignation in the face of evident misconduct. This issue goes beyond Sowore; it is now a matter for the Nigerian civil society to take up, rise up and uphold the standards they represent. They cannot afford to wait to see whether funding is available before taking action. Nigerian civil society leaders must stand up for the Nigerian people against a failing political class. Therefore, there needs to be an immediate consensus among civil society leaders, particularly those focused on anti-corruption, to ensure the allegations regarding Wike's Florida properties are thoroughly and urgently investigated by either or both the anti-corruption authorities in Nigeria and the United States.

? Frank Tietie, Nigerian lawyer, media personality and development advocate, writes from Abuja.

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