Magu, Malami and the mess in the message

My late political father, Pa Abraham Adesanya used to say, “When you point an accusing finger at someone, three of your fingers would point at you”.

It’s now more than a week, since the dethronement of Ibrahim Mustapha Magu, from the seat of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This was sequel to the memo written to President Muhammadu Buhari, by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), accusing him of misconduct and re-looting, or diversion of recovered loot.

In the memo, Malami recommended the sacking of Magu, and the President obliged. Since then, the social media began to trend, under the hashtag of “Magugate”.

In less than 48 hours, Sahara Reporters, an online blog, came up with damming allegations against Malami, under the caption, MalamiGate: Multi-billion Naira Properties Of Nigeria’s Attorney-General Abubakar Malami’s Family Acquired After He Got Appointed As The Minister Of Justice.

Using all its outlets, including TV, the medium published pictures of  N600m mansion allegedly purchased by Malami, a stone throw from the Government House in Kano. Pictures of a hotel in Kano, allegedly owned by Malami were also shown. The social media immediately took it up under the hashtag, “Malamigate”.

Disturbed by the allegations, Minister Malami threatened to sue SaharaReporters within seven days, if they failed to retract the damaging stories published on him. But rather than respecting the request, the medium became more emboldened, by publishing additional allegations, this time in his home state of Kebbi.

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Sahara Reporters said new evidence has now surfaced, of a second mansion worth N100m built by Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, in Kebbi State in the name of his son, Abdulaziz. The building was discovered to have been erected in only under two months, in readiness for Abdulaziz and his new bride, Khadija Danbatta, to move in to after the second leg of their lavish wedding in Kano.

Although the accusations against both Magu and Malami would remain allegations until proved otherwise, there is a mess in the moral behind the two messages, that would make the public trust on them to be shaken. Trust is mostly conceived as a rational response to trustworthy behaviour by others, where high moral is held as the most important variant of virtue.

The moral virtue is the type of trust that binds people together. Once that trust is shaken, confidence is lost, and the public would continue to question every action taken by that person, as a suspect. Whether true or false, there is now a moral question hanging on both Magu and Malami, and until proven otherwise, the two would continue to move with the mess.

In normal climes, and in order to show proof of being above board, like Magu was made to step aside in order for investigations to be conducted freely and fairly, Malami also should be made to step aside.

Being above board means being completely honest, straightforward and unquestionable. The office of the Attorney General is the one that oversees the EFCC. Malami cannot be seen to be fair, even where he acted fairly, if he accuses while he is being accused. As a lawyer, he should know better, on the meanings of Honorable, and acting in an open manner.

Magugate and Malamigate are now trying to turn on the handle of a “YomiOsibanjogate”, as one Jackson Ude, a blogger, is also accusing the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, of collecting N4 billion from Ibrahim Magu, the suspended acting Chairman of the EFCC.

VP Osinbajo was quick to write to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to investigate and initiate criminal proceedings against Jackson Ude, saying the allegations are untrue.

But Mr. Ude said he is unruffled, and that the Nigeria Police cannot arrest him, instead, and in order to test transparency, Prof. Osinbajo must first resign as Vice President before dragging him to court. That way, there would not be any official interference, intimidation or abuse of office.

It is pertinent to highlight the imperative of watching and testing the testament of the Presidency on the fight against corruption, particularly what it said on the unfolding Magu saga.

In the statement issued by Mallam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesperson, he said, “As is the proper procedure, when allegations are made against the Chief Executive of an institution, and in this case an institution that ought to be seen as beyond reproach, the Chief Executive has to step down from his post and allow for a transparent and unhindered investigation.

The EFCC does not revolve around the personality of an individual, and as such cannot be seen through the prism of any individual. Therefore, the suspension of Mr. Ibrahim Magu, allows the institution to continue carrying out its mandate without the cloud of investigation hanging over its head”

Going by that statement, and the principles of natural justice, which is what has been laid down by the Courts as being the minimum protection of the rights of the individual against the arbitrary procedure that may be adopted by a judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative authority while making an order affecting those rights, just like Magu was asked to step down, Malami and Prof. Osinbajo should also be made to step down.

That is the minimum, that would give meaning to the “minimum” protection of the rights of the individual against the arbitrary procedure that may be adopted, by any judicial or quasi-judicial investigation.

And the Presidency should keep to its words, through the show of example, which would make the public believe that it is free from any conceived complicity.

Bala Ibrahim, a Media Advisor writes from Abuja