El-Rufai and the Senate
IN truth, democracy is still
evolving in our country. The reality of this situation is often accepted as
explanation for various shortcomings and even unbecoming acts of individuals on
the political and governmental arena. As the argument that supports this
indulgence goes, people who have acquired a new tool and are learning its
application are bound to make mistakes. From these mistakes, hopefully, a better
grasp of the system will be gained.
Even with this line of reasoning, it has become clear that
many key players in our public positions have become less discerning and
careless in their conduct. The return of democracy in the land has been taken as
license by many to do things wrongly. Many aspects of our values no longer hold
relevance, as government appointees, politicians and various other people who
should be public servants turn into lords unto themselves.
The recent unguarded and disparaging comment on the Senate by
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is just one
among the cases. The minister’s contentious dismissal of the upper legislative
house simply exposed his lack of the art of conducting oneself in a public
office. Individuals who are fortunate enough to find themselves in prominent
public positions are expected to reflect decorum, restraint and discipline in
their conducts and utterances. They are also expected to know the limits of
expressing emotion, as their actions should be guided more by reason than
emotion.Unfortunately, El-Rufai by his utterances did not show that he has
acquired the restraint his position demands.
There is no doubt that El-Rufai is entitled to his opinions
and that he has freedom and the right of expression.However,such position as he
occupies imposes limitations on extreme exercise of those rights.
It is good that El-Rufai has apologized, having been made to
realize the enormity of his offense. His apology has not assuaged the anger of
the Senate, which received the collective abuse on it with a united
determination to teach the Minister a lesson. The Senate is still insisting that
El-Rufai must be relieved of his position. The strong exception of the Senate to
the Minister is understood. If it insists on exerting the drastic reprisal as it
set out for, the Senate will have justification for its stance.
While we deplore El-Rufai’s unbecoming utterances, we cannot
but note that his relationship with the Senate has not been cordial even before
now.Unfortunately, in the circumstances that created that no love lost
relationship, the Senate was not seen to have properly acquitted itself and
risen to the lofty pedestal where it ought to be.The running battle between the
Senate and El-Rufai stemmed from his allegation that the duo of Deputy Senate
President,Ibrahim Mantu and Senator Jonathan Zwingina demanded a hefty bribe of
N54million from him to facilitate his clearance in the Senate when he was
nominated minister.
Though the Senate investigated the allegation and resolved
the matter in favour of the accused senators, the general public was left with
some questions that did not seem clearly answered. That very bribery allegation,
whether true or baseless, did not do the image of the Senate much good.El-Rufai
was eventually cleared as minister, but it was apparent that he was not a loved
man in the Senate.
In moving belatedly to re-examine the accounts of the Bureau
for Public Enterprises during the tenure of El-Rufai as head of the agency, the
upper house of the federal legislature once more laid itself open to charges
that it is simply out to get even and not to serve public interest. That
however, does not detract from the substantive issues that have been thrown up
by the investigation. The critical examination of the BPE accounts may have
discovered some embarrassing details that put question marks on the sincerity of
government’s anti-corruption posture, but other issues arise from such belated
inquiry by the Senate. Why has it taken it this while to look into the
activities of BPE?Where was the Senate all through the busy days of action at
the BPE? Yes, El-Rufai may have questions to answer on various aspects of his
stewardship at BPE, but the Senate has unwittingly exposed its failure or
refusal to exercise its oversight functions diligently at appropriate times. The
situation where the Senate looks the other way or endorses laws and executive
proposals that it cannot in all good conscience defend, only to turn round at
moments of disagreement with the executive or part of it to raise questions on
the same matters does not present it in good light. Such disposition does not
win confidence for the upper house.
The Senate may have acted some times in ways that create the
impression that it traded its honour and pride. We do not accept however, that
it deserves such disrespect as El-Rufai hurled at it. The fact that President
Olusegun Obasanjo initially sought to put the matter away by apologizing for the
Minister is also instructive. It is up to the Senate to re-examine itself.
It is for the Senate to decide whatever posture it assumes on
the matter. We however advise public functionaries to learn to conduct
themselves appropriately and save us all from the disdain and embarrassment of
some of their acts.Honour and integrity are priceless. The Senate should seek
these.El-Rufai and all other public servants should seek them too.
