In this thread, blogger and all round commentator, Japheth Omojuwa advises the Nigerian government to review its resolve to fight corruption in the country re the budget padding scandal and the latest developments in the controversy.

It is no longer news that the President Buhari’s anti-corruption administration has chosen not to concern itself with this case despite the strong allegations Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin has made against the four principal officers of the House of Representatives.

Japheth Omojuwa addresses Hon Jibrin, Hon Yakubu Dogara, Senator Bukola Saraki, the EFCC, NASS, the House of Reps and the rest of us who are mostly affected by the actions and inactions of corrupt leaders.

Nigeria must take another look at its fight against corruption on this eve of its 56th Independence anniversary. #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

Events like the @AbdulAbmJ allegations of budget padding against the Speaker @SpeakerDogara & others is a great opportunity #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

It is an opportunity to test the laws, the independence of the NASS, of EFCC et al, the Ethic committee of the House… #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

In a functional democracy, @SpeakerDogara & @AbdulAbmJ would BOTH face the Ethics Committee on these allegations #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The independence of the Ethics Committee itself is essential so its formation must be founded on that reality #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The Ethics committee ought to be formed by having an equal number of representatives from the two major parties #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The LEADERSHIP and MEMBERSHIP of the Ethics Committees of both the Senate & the House SHOULD NEVER be decided by its leaders #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The Ethics Committees should be evenly divided between the PDP and the APC, irrespective of who controls both Houses #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The purpose of this even party distribution is so any party can veto any action taken by the committee they find inimical to it #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The opposition's members of the Ethics Committee SHOULD NOT be PICKED by the Speaker or Senate President #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

This should be decided ONLY by the party in question. In our case, PDP House members should nominate their members #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

This Ethics Committee that is evenly distributed between both parties can then elect a Chair from one of the ruling parties #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

A situation where t/ Speaker/Senate President decides all of the aforementioned puts the independence of the cmt. into question #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

Note that this formation process is UNIQUE to the Ethics Committee and not applicable to the other committees #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The reason is OBVIOUS. The Ethics Committee is the ONLY committee that can have the Speaker/S.president face it as a panel #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

A situation where the Speaker or Senate President appoints the members of the Ethics Committee & decides its leader is FLAWED! #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The Ethics Committee has a unique role in the NASS. It is by intuitive & legal determination, the CONSCIENCE of both Houses #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

As @SpeakerDogara takes a look at the budgeting process like he already mentioned, we must take a look at something else too #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The NASS must as a matter of urgency take a look at how its forms both Ethics Committees. Until then, this is all a joke #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

If both Ethics Committees functioned properly, before the EFCC and CCB engage both leaders, they ought to face the Committees #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

It is actually an ANOMALY of democratic procedure of the separation of powers that… #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

A Senate President @bukolasaraki who still hasn't faced the Senate's Ethics Committee is facing the CCB on issues around ETHICS #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

If our democracy really worked NORMALLY (not even OPTIMALLY) @bukolasaraki ought to face the Ethics Committee 1st of all! #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

If our democracy really worked NORMALLY (not even OPTIMALLY) @SpeakerDogara ought to face the Ethics Committee right away #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

But of course, both Ethics Committees are FLAWED in their formation process & set up. Not a fault of the current leaders but… #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

No country in the world had everything worked out at the formation of its laws & constitution. Events help evolve new rules #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

In a country where leaders cared for legacies, we would be TAKING A CRITICAL look at the Ethics Committees at this time #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

If we want to practice democracy, let us practice it. If we want to do magomagocracy, let us not call it by another name #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

It is SHOCKING, DISGRACEFUL & EMBARRASSING for @SpeakerDogara to continue to pretend he has no case to answer #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

He, as much as @AbdulAbmJ , if not more, has a case to answer. None of them is above the House. None of them is above the law! #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

The budget padding allegations offer an opportunity for critical reforms, not just in the budgeting process… #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

…but in the ability of the House to clean itself of its own mess. Before we even get talking about the EFCCs #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

History is littered with how events helped countries to create better laws & processes to guard against certain reoccurrences #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

If we do not DEMAND for the right thing to be done at this time, we will NEVER get a better time in this generation to get it right.

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

Because politicians will perfect their budget padding process. You will think things changed but only the stealing evolved #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

A situation where mortals like the rest of us can allocate sizeable parts of the budget to themselves calls for attention #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

There are few documents as important as the budget. If the process is not sacrosanct enough, you hardly have a country #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

If we want to have a genuine democracy, we must operate by its virtues, rules and norms. No way around it. #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

Having said this, the EFCC must prove its independence & seriousness by pursuing the budget padding allegations to the end #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

And as for the rest of us, if we expect these folks to just to the right thing without us demanding same, we joke #NigeriaAt56

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 30, 2016

There you have it, there needs to be a total overhaul of the policies and rules that guide governance in Nigeria starting from the legislative arm. The final tweet caps the thread perfectly, we all need to stand up and press on our government like never before.