Top members of the Peoples Democratic Part (PDP) in particular and some sympathizers of Goodluck Jonathan government in general, are still mumbling that President Muhammadu Buhari government has been selective in the current probe of the alleged financial recklessness preferred against a few agents of that (Jonathan) regime.
This issue of selective theory was first floated by Jonathan himself shortly before he bowed out of office. Dr. Jonathan it was who insisted that if Buhari must probe his government, he should extend such probe to other governments before his.
Ever since Buhari mounted the leadership of the country, this theory has been emphasized and drummed up by the National Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, the governor of Ekiti state, Fayose and many others. Most of the proponents of selective probe theory have not been so vocal like a few of the party’s functionaries.
The major probe that has caught the nation in frenzy currently is that of the $2.1 Billion (over N400 Billion) which was meant solely to procure arms and ammunition for soldiers fighting members of Boko Haram mainly in the North East, and across the North in general. The huge sum of money was allegedly diverted for other purposes by the former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
There have been other cases, like the Abacha loot that runs into billion which was also diverted.
It is not clear if the issue of $2.1 Billion for arms procurement has anything to do with the past governments, and for which the probe must extend. As a matter of fact, the probe that is ongoing has a clear focus and definition. It is not about abandoned projects or corruption or stealing that has a history from the government before that of Jonathan.
The magnitude of the nation’s money that a few people have allegedly stolen and distributed amongst themselves is enough to collapse the economy of a nation. The luck we have is that our economy is large and resilience enough to absorb the shocks. But Buhari cannot achieve any meaningful development if such monies are not traced and recovered.
In any case, the President has been very clear that no one, not even members of All Progressives Congress (APC) would be spared in his fight against corruption.
Besides, the President has never referred to Jonathan’s government in isolation when he spoke about the past government: he has always referred to it as PDP government, which include the Presidents which the party had produced and who ruled the country since 1999.
So, those who subscribe to the selective theory may have deliberately misunderstood the concept they are espousing or are just been plain mischief. [myad]