By Mitaire Ikpen
FORMER Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, yesterday, bemoaned the depth and dimension of corruption in the country, pointing out that the scourge has become like a second name for the country and its own natural disaster.

Wabara who spoke at the public presentation of a book, Power, Greed and Nepotism: The Politics and Drama of 1999 Constitutional Amendment in Nigeria, written by political writer and analyst, Dr. Tony Amadi, noted that while Nigerians generally adduce corruption to mismanagement of money, the ideas, policies and actions of political leaders could also be corrupt, citing the purported third term ambition of former President Obasanjo which did not see the light of day.

He commended former Senate President Ken Nnamani, and other lawmakers who stood their ground to nip the third term plot in the bud, stressing that President Jonathan and other political leaders across the nation should make personal sacrifices against the menace to make Nigeria a better country.

Wabara said: “Sen. Ken Nnamani, I and others played very important roles in the death of the third term agenda which in itself was very corrupt. The idea itself was corrupt and I want to thank Sen. Nnamani for giving me the opportunity on that day, May 16, 2007 to be the last speaker in the heated debate that eventually buried the third term agenda.

“We always relate corruption to money but I think that even our character, actions and policies can be very corrupt without indulging in money. We must fight corruption no matter who is involved. Sometimes I sit and watch the television and feel that the other name for Nigeria is corruption. In America and other countries they have hurricanes and other natural disasters. Since some of these disasters can’t be avoided, it appears to me that Nigeria has its own natural disaster, which is corruption.”

Chairmanship aspirant of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, who was represented by Prof. Ken Ife, commended the writer for unveiling the plots surrounding the third term agenda, describing the book as a hurricane that blew open the involvement of all the third term actors.

Topical concepts

He said the topical concepts of the book are the main reasons why he is currently vying for the National PDP chairmanship seat, adding: “The three key issues in this book which are power, greed and despotism are not dissimilar to issues that have made me offer my services to become the national PDP chairman today because I want to build the party and return it to the glory of the founding fathers.”

Book reviewer, Mr. Eddie Iroh, who was coincidentally also represented by Prof. Ken Ife, described the book as both timeless and timely, and commended the author for painstakingly documenting all the intrigues and debates that characterize the third term plot.

He urged political leaders to learn from the mistakes of late Muammar Gadafi of Libya and the statesmanship of former President Mandela of South Africa, adding that “those who forget the lessons of history repeat its mistakes.”

For the author, Tony Amadi, the book is a wake-up call for Nigerians to acknowledge the mistakes of the past in order to make amends and move into the Promised Land.