Daily Independent (Lagos)
Maxwell Oditta
19 June 2009
(Page 2 of 2)
Nigerians have reacted to the Akogun retreat funds saga, with a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Cliff Ogbede, warning that the temptation of money must not overtake the reasoning of federal lawmakers.
"If indeed Hon. Tunde Akogun misappropriated funds that should have been used for such a memorable event in the lower house, members should not waste time to deal with him in line with the Constitution that guides both the House and his office. A principal officer should not be involved in any shady deal that would undermine the integrity of the legislature.
"Men of honour as they are being called should please live and behave honourably. The temptation of money should not overtake their sense of reasoning. If he is found guilty as alleged, he should be given the same treatment as the previous officers who were thrown out for the same crime. No one should be seen as a sacred cow in the fight against corruption," Ogbede said.
Another chieftain of the PDP, Sonny Iroche would like representatives to come out with greater details of the retreat funds scam, while a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Emeka Etiaba said crime is crime and must be fought. He wondered however whether Akogun has been properly investigated with a view to giving him fair hearing.
"If he has been given that opportunity, then he must go, good pedigree or not," offered Etiaba.
Chairman of Citizens Popular Party (CPP), Maxi Okwu, aligned with Etiaba in calling for fairness and adherence to due process in handling the scam.
"There should not be any sacred cow on the issue of corruption. The House has well-established procedure for dealing with such allegations. Tunde should be entitled to due process. If he has soiled his hands, let him face the music," said Okwu.
Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) wants Akogun bundled out of the National Assembly, if found guilty, according to CNPP's National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu. He added that corruption has no colour, no status and no pedigree.
"It is unfortunate the spate of scandal, here and there," began the National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Okey Nwosu.
"Occasionally, you know that here in Nigeria, people like to hear about money being embezzled or not being embezzled. Some of them may be false. But it becomes the fashion when you have politicians. The obvious thing they want to say, which will attract the Nigerian public, is this man has embezzled money. But at times, it gives me problems, because you see that most of the time we talk about people embezzling money for just a while. After a while, we forget about it. It's really a pity.
"Be that as it may, the area that I even want to look at in some of these issues is one, the National Assembly is going for a retreat and they are going to spend N500 million or whatever. Retreat for what? They are going to learn how to pass bills or they are going to learn about Nigerian problems? It becomes a problem if you come out with some bogus things," Nwosu added.
Akogun, a soldier and an education instructor, was born on July 17, 1941 in Auchi, Edo State. He attended St. Michael's School at Uzebba, Holy Trinity Grammar School at Sabongida-Ora, and Abeokuta Grammar School, from 1960 to 1961. He had his tertiary education at the University of Ibadan, 1962 to 1965 and 1973 to 1974. He also attended National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, near Jos in 1989.
As an army officer, he rose to become deputy commandant of the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria. He was appointed by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida as federal sole administrator of culture with responsibility as director to parastatals under the Ministry of Information and Culture as the National Council of Arts and Culture, Centre for Black and African Arts Civilisation, the National Film Distribution Company and the National Archives, from 1985 and 1989. He was also chairman, Interim Board of the National Theatre.
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