“Our governor, who is currently battling allegation of criminal indictment in the United States, also needs to be very careful”
We thought we had seen it all on the incursion of Yahoo-yahoo boys into Nigeria’s political arena after Abidemi Rufai, an aide of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, was arrested for wire fraud in the United States last year, sending a loud, clear message that the day of recompense was in the offing for internet fraudsters. But we’re mistaken!
As preparations for the 2023 general elections are gathering momentum in Ogun State, it is utterly embarrassing that more men of questionable character and fraudulent means are making inroads into the state’s politics and plotting their way to join comrades-in-corruption in the government.
Politics is concerned with winning and holding control over government, albeit with the ultimate aim of influencing governmental policies and programmmes. Ideally, politics is for noble men and altruistic persons driven by commitment to service.
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However, the kind of shady personalities falling all over themselves these days to occupy political offices makes one to shudder. Politics has become a big business that is attracting the influx of cyber criminals, drug barons and money launderers, especially in a sophisticated state like Ogun. It is quite pathetic.
From Abeokuta to Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu to Ota, yahoo politicians are all over the place spending incredible sums from the blues to compromise the conscience of voters. Some may argue that there’s no way politicking won’t involve money. Yes, I concede. But the kind of brazen money being thrown around to foul the space can only be from questionable sources. No politician who genuinely believes that politics is a call to service would spend the way many aspirants in the APC are doing.
There is a rave of the moment in one of the Ijebu communities now. This fella who graduated from Olabisi Onabanjo University currently stays in the Lekki axis of Lagos. No one knows what he does for a living but words have it that he rolls with the biggest set of fraudsters that specialize in sourcing account and money laundering.
On the surface, this dude claims he’s into real estate business. Nothing can be more absurd! We all know real estate is now a smokescreen for fraud syndicates to disguise their crime. At least, the EFCC boss, Abdulrasheed Bawa, recently confirmed that billions of naira were being laundered in the real estate sector, mostly by internet scammers.
Another emergency politician in another Ijebu community just returned from Mexico. Prior to jetting out of Nigeria, he was just a secondary school certificate holder but now, the guy has stepped up having allegedly been involved with Latino drug cartels and syndicates specializing in romance scam. There are claims that this politician is even on the watch list of the Interpol.
The other day at an event in Sagamu, one happening guy was chauffeured-driven in exotic vehicles with armed escorts. When I tried to enquire about this seeming moneybag, the response I got from those who should know was simply mind-boggling. Another yahoo boy making waves in the city!
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An informed friend told me that similar scenario is happening in many Egba and Yewa areas in Ogun State, asking me not to narrow down the trend to my neck of wood in Ijebuland. The friend explained that an aspirant for federal constituency seat even bought a multimillion pen brand for a top politician in this state just to seek his favour and buy his conscience. You would have thought the stupendously rich recipient would turn down the inducement. No!
It is scary that these characters, in their desperate bid to make political office, are even holding several caucus meetings and discussing consensus arrangements apparently to ensure one of the smarter crooks get into power. Is it not a shame that an army of rich guys who have never done any productive work in their lives, are now dictating the pace in our politics?
Methinks our politics is broken and it requires urgent rescue. Sanity must prevail. It’s hard to believe peadophiles, social deviants and morally-bankrupts are also going about seeking people’s endorsement to represent them in legislative chambers. It is unheard of. But alas, it is happening before our very eyes!
For instance, in one of the Federal Constituencies, a former political office holder who was accused of attempted rape by a teenage girl, is now running from pillar to post in the bid for a National Assembly seat. Did this fellow forget or the people forgot his malfeasance? I doubt none of the options.
Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, recently noted that yahoo boys and criminals were rushing into politics to avoid being arrested by security operatives. The governor who practically lamented the situation observed that as the noose is being tightened globally on rentier/criminal enterprises such as drug trafficking or internet scamming, many of the barons flocked into politics as the next easy alternative.
We should not allow politics to be the easy alternative for cyber criminals and folks with no traceable means of livelihood in our dear Ogun State. Since the FBI intercepted Governor Abiodun’s Man Friday (Abidemi Rufai) suspected in Washington state’s $650 million unemployment benefits fraud, it has become imperative to be wary of who is entrusted with public offices.
As the chase for 2023 hots up, there must be proper background checks and thorough security screening for all political aspirants to ensure that the wheat are separated from the chaff. Many are jostling for House of Assembly, House of Representatives and even other juicy tickets. We can no longer bear the shame of having prison-bound hustlers holding appointive and elective positions in our state. We cannot afford to let yahoo boys determine our destiny!
Our dear Governor, who is currently battling allegation of criminal indictment in the United States, also needs to be very careful. He should not hand party tickets to crooks lest people come to the conclusion that he is guilty by association.
Tunde Adesanya writes from Odogbolu via tundesanya@gmail.com
Kindly, note that views expressed in this article are solely of the author, they have nothing to do with editorial stand of Platforms Africa
