IT is once again the season of honours for those deemed deserving of such. This year's is particularly significant because it would be the last under the Obasanjo administration. Whoever misses out this year could only look forward to the succeeding administration to nod in his or her direction.

The list just released contains many names of the President's associates and appointees. The highest honour of the land deservedly go to Senate President Ken Nnamani and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Modibbo Belgore. For being heads of the federal legislature and the judiciary respectively, the two men ought to be recognised. When it is realised that the CJN who just mounted the saddle in succession to Justice Muhammed Uwais would be retiring next January, the appropriateness of the decision could not be doubted.

Although Senator Ken Nnamani could not sometimes resist using the national legislative house to fight his personal battles, even his political enemies would concede that he has carried himself with dignity in the discharge of his responsibilities. It is therefore not out of place that, in the twilight of his service as the country's number three citizen, he is allowed to don the title Grand Commander of the Niger, GCON.

Perhaps the luckiest of all the awardees this year is the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ahmadu Ali. Ali was first conferred with the honour, Commander of the Order of the Niger in 1979 by the then departing Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo. He had served in that government as Federal Commissioner for Education but his tenure was marked by unprecedented chaos and violence in the universities. He was the man in charge when the undergraduates staged the Ali-Must-Go demonstration that shook the university system to its foundation and left students in pools of blood all over the country. Yet, his boss had such implicit confidence in him that he was given one of the highest honours of the land.

Now, he is being conferred with GCON, second to the highest honour of the land. To what do we ascribe this decision? Prior to his emergence as national Chairman of the PDP in a somewhat controversial circumstance, Ali had been out of the public limelight for years. He was identified and brought in by the President to replace Chief Audu Ogbeh who had fallen out of favour. Believing that a former officer of the Nigerian Army would take instructions from him, the President located Ali and installed him in that office.

If the conferment of Nnamani and Belgore could be justified on the ground of the offices they hold, Ali's cannot. His office is not officially recognised by the 1999 Constitution or its predecessors. He is not recognised by national Order of Precedence and is not higher in status than any of the other 45 parties' chairman.

In terms of service, the PDP has disintegrated under Ali. He is not known to have instituted any reforms to better position the party ahead of the 2007 election. Yo what do we then owe this rare honour? Secretary of the party, Chief Ojo Maduekwe is being conferred with the third highest honour, too. As such, he shares the same honour with the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka and Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

Others being bestowed with the Commander of the Federal Republic honour this year include ministers like Babalola Borishade, Mallam Adamu Bello, Malam Mukhtar Shagari and other presidential aides. They all share the same honour with the likes of Wole Soyinka. The fight to restore honour to national honours should be joined by all even as Mr President prepares to bow out.

Scam in INEC again

FOR the second time in two months, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is in focus again over uncovered fraud. First, it was the news of a dead director discovered to have amassed as much as N7 billion national wealth.

The fraud would not have ben discovered but for the death of the Pastor and the scramble for the stupendous wealth he left behind for his family. The pastor's mistress sent the EFCC a petition when he felt the legitimate family was attempting to shove her aside. With that, the pandora box was opened.

One question that crossed my mind on reading the account was: How could the dead director, acting alone have embezzled so much. If he cornered such amount, what went to senior members of the Commission? If a director stole N7 billion, what went to the National Commissioners?

If he acted all alone, what does that say of the accounting and auditing system in the Commission?

On that occasion, it was easy to excuse the current set up at INEC because it all took place under Professor Maurice Iwu's predecessor.

But, what do we say about the most recent scam that has shown that inflation of contracts is the norm in the Commission?

The Central Bank was said to have stopped a N20 billion cheque meant to pay for 140,000 pieces of the data Capture Equipment being imported for the voters' registration exercise. Whereas the international competitive price of the equipment was put at N1,000, INEC was said to have approved importation at N2,200 each, representing more than 100 per cent inflation.

At the moment, not much can be said as INEC was yet to respond to the allegation by press time.

What is clear is that a major allegation has been made. The Due Process office has faulted the costing and INEC must be made to reply. The war against corruption should not be restricted to the states and local government councils only.