By Donu Kogbara

THE National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, was photographed in handcuffs earlier on this week, when he was conveyed from Kuje prison to the Federal High Court in Abuja…where his lawyer requested bail on his behalf.

Metuh has been accused of breach of public trust, corrupt acquisition of public funds and money-laundering, in connection with the ongoing financial crimes scandal – “Dasukigate” – surrounding ex-President Jonathan’s National Security Adviser.

He is said to have unlawfully collected N400 million from a fund that was earmarked for arms procurement. And his trial will begin on Monday.
Opinions are sharply divided about the treatment that was meted out to him.

Metuh 

Adams Oshiomhole, the APC Governor of Edo State has expressed the opinion that he deserves no sympathy whatsoever because ordinary citizens who have stolen much smaller sums are routinely handcuffed.

And there are many who agree with Oshiomhole. But others, this columnist included, beg to differ.

I voted for Buhari because he was famed for loathing corruption and I wanted him to tackle corruption…which has been Nigeria’s biggest problem for decades.
But Metuh has not been found guilty! His trial has not even commenced, so let us resist the temptation to jump to conclusions at this premature stage. Let’s assume (for now at least) that he may be innocent and may have been misunderstood.

Also, several VIPs are embroiled in the sordid Dasukigate drama. But I’ve not seen any of the other accused individuals being paraded in handcuffs!

Humiliating special treatment

So why is Metuh receiving such humiliating special treatment?!
VERY unfair, if you ask me.

Some folks strongly suspect that Metuh has been singled out because he, being an official mouthpiece for the new Opposition, has been a particularly vocal critic of Buhari’s administration. I sincerely hope that this suspicion is not well-founded.

I continue to be a Buhari supporter. But Nigeria is meant to be a democracy in which freedom of speech is permitted; and I hate unnecessary malice and injustice.

Another scandal

THE Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has told the Senate Committee on Marine Transport that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA was controlled (during Jonathan’s tenure) by the former militant warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, a Niger Deltan who is popularly known as Tompolo and being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

According to Amaechi, NIMASA out-sourced its responsibility for protecting Nigerian waterways to a private firm in which Tompolo has an interest. And there were substantial financial irregularities while Tompolo was allegedly in charge.

The former Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi – who is said to have been in cahoots with Tompolo – is also being investigated for fraud.
I used to hear alarming, hair-raising stories about Akpobolokemi and Tompolo’s alleged abuses of power when Jonathan was President. People who worked in the maritime sector would complain bitterly about the impunity that these two close associates of the then President allegedly enjoyed and tell me that they had more clout than the then Minister of Transport; and I’d shake my head in disbelief.

Sensitive context

I found it hard to believe that a Head of State would turn a blind eye and adopt an Anything Goes stance within such a sensitive context.
If Akpobolokemi and Tompolo are found guilty, Jonathan’s already tarnished reputation will take yet another huge hit. And what a pity that will be.

A friend who, like me, is also from the Niger Delta and also once vigorously supported Jonathan sadly made the following comment the other day:
“Jonathan was the first President from our zone and we wanted him to be our Knight In Shining Armour and a Great Leader to all Nigerians. But he turned out to be a big disappointment. Little did we know, when we were throwing our weight behind him and looking up to him, that we were giving our Ferrari to a vulcanizer!”

Ah well. Never mind. At least Jonathan will be forever remembered for graciously handing over to Buhari without making trouble, when he lost the 2015 election.

Solid mineral issues

ACCORDING to a recent report in The Will, an online publication, the Minister in charge of Solid Mineral Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has disclosed that state governments are now free to explore and exploit mineral deposits in their domains, with or without private sector partners, provided they go about such in a legal manner that will not interfere with locations already given to other stakeholders.

I was absolutely delighted when I heard this good news. Nigeria has been excessively dependent on Niger Deltan oil for too long. And we need to diversify, especially now that oil prices are plunging and unlikely to recover anytime soon.

It is time for other parts of the country to become more dynamic and more productive.

And Dr Fayemi certainly has the brains, integrity, imagination and enterprising instincts to help those who are serious about solid mineral development projects to fulfil their potential and boost our national income.