Should Those Indicted Over Failed Power Project Be Prosecuted Or Not?

•Wole O. (Civil servant): Of course, they must be made to face the law because it is a criminal offence to corruptly enrich oneself and what they did is not different from that. So, once the House completes its investigation, anyone indicted should be prosecuted, but due process has to be followed.

•John Johnson (Media practitioner): Why should those indicted not be prosecuted? If the House knows that they will not be prosecuted, why did they start the probe? As far as I am concerned, anyone involved in the failed power project contract should be called upon to say his or her own side of the story and whoever is found wanting should be made to face the full wrath of law.

•Mukky Alimi (Civil servant): For me to believe that President Umaru Yar’Adua is a man of his word as he is doing in the case of the election tribunals now, he should extend his probe to those indicted over the failed power project. Both Obasanjo, Atiku and all other persons involved in the project should be make to come before the probe panel and if found guilty, the should be prosecuted. Also, if the former president could not succeed in the power project issue, I doubt the ability of the present president to achieve that. All the same, no one is above the law, Obasanjo and others should tell Nigerians their own side of the story and if indicted, their prosecution should be the next step. The man that said transparency is his watchword must make the indicted explain how they wasted 16 billion dollars.

•Rotimi Williams: What do you expect me to say now? The whole country has been plunged in total darkness all because of the failed power project. The former president was in power for eight years and failed to tackle the electricity problem in spite of the huge amount waisted. The probe should be very thorough and anyone indicted made to face the law without delay. If the former president could not give us regular electricity  for good eight years, what hope have we in his successor? One the issue of prosecution, anyone found guilty should be prosecuted.

•Mudashiru Adeleke: It is disheartening to hear that such huge amount of money was wasted on an unrealistic project. Those involved or indicted by the probe panel should be prosecuted and their prosecution, I am sure, will serve as example to those who may be thinking that if they loot or embezzle public funds meant for the development of the country, can go with it free. As a result, anyone involved in the scandal must be made to face the full wrath of the law.

•Akindele Oluseyi: Well, I support their prosecution. The reason is that if you go to developed countries, none succeeded without stable electricity supply. For any country’s economy to improve and be better, the issue of electricity is of paramount importance. Most of our leaders who are boasting that they will do this and that and still get involved in all forms of corruption that is having disastrous effect on our economy should be investigated and made to face the music, because for our economy to pick up or improve, there must be improvement in the power sector and with all the money wasted by the past regime, I really support their prosecution.

•Osagie Okosu: Concerning the failed power project, anyone that is involved should be made to face the law. If those indicted are proved to be guilty after proper scrutiny, they should be prosecuted.

•Oladejo Kazeem: Definitely, those involved should not only be prosecuted but executed. Even the companies that got the contract were not duly registered, so the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should wade into the matter and take drastic measures by getting them arraigned in court, while companies involved in the scam be made to pay back the money as soon as the House completes its investigation.

•Adewale Adeniyi: Prosecution of anyone indicted in the case should start as soon as the House of Assembly completes its investigation and the guilty punished accordingly. These are the people preaching zero tolerance for corruption but see what they have done, wasted 16 billion dollars without any result to show for it. Any action against those indicted now will be a deterrent to those who still have the mind of embezzling the nation’s wealth.

•Ikhiya Akhemebiri (Student): Those indicted must be prosecuted and if  found guilty, jailed accordingly. Since this regime said that it has zero tolerance for corruption, it must ensure that anyone involved in the failed power project is dealt with according to the law of the land. For Obasanjo to have deceived the country on the failed power project and with such big amount of money, he should be prosecuted together with his cohorts.

—PAUL SANUSI & EMMANUEL OSODI