Budget padding, ‘Aisha belongs in the other room’… top 6 political controversies of 2016

The outgoing year has been spectacular in different ways. Like years before it, 2016 recorded some highs and lows in the political arena. Some events within the year would be hard to recall, while others are fresh in the memory.

We present six of those controversies that graced the political space.

BUDGET PADDING

A new lexicon broke in the political circle in 2016. Budget-what? Padding. Yes, padding!

President Muhammadu was so shocked about this that he put his feelings this way: “I have been a military governor, petroleum minister, military head of State and headed the Petroleum Trust Fund. Never had I heard the words ‘budget padding.’”

When the news broke in January that the budget had disappeared, many waved it aside. Later, it was the issue of circulation of a fake budget in the national assembly, and eventually doctoring of the original document submitted by the president.

The scandal led to the dismissal of the director-general of budget office and 22 directors in the ministry of budget and national planning.

Abdulmumin Jibrin, former chairman of the house of representatives committee on appropriation, also added to the drama by blaming the fraudulent act on principal officers of the lower chamber of the national assembly. Jibrin was silent until he fell out with Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house.

FAYOSE’S LETTER TO CHINA

A magazine publication may not have adequate space to contain the pranks of Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, in 2016. From claiming that the lawmaker arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) had died in custody, to saying that Aisha Buhari was wanted in the US, putting on military camouflage to present the 2017 budget, and storming a branch of Zenith Bank in his state capital to withdraw money, Fayose had the controversies coming.

But one of the most stunning was the letter written to the Chinese president in an attempt to block a loan assistance to Nigeria. The letter came at a time when the federal government was striving to improve the bilateral relations between both countries.

Fayose had discouraged the Chinese government from rendering any help to Nigeria, saying: “I write as one of the major stakeholders in the project Nigeria, and a governor of one of the federating units making up Nigeria, to draw your attention to report that the federal government of Nigeria is on the verge of obtaining a $2 billion loan from the Export-Import Bank of China.

“While conceding that all nations, especially developing ones need support to be able to grow because no nation is an island, I am constrained to inform you that if the future of Nigeria must be protected, the country does not need any loan at this time.”

Although Buhari is no stranger to Fayose’s tantrums, this action was said to have infuriated him so much.

‘PLAGIARISED’ REORIENTATION CAMPAIGN

The ‘Change Begins With Me’ campaign was designed to bring about certain attitudinal changes and reorder public conduct, but the dust is yet to settle on the copyright infringement that mired the initiative.

Buhari flagged off the programme at an elaborate ceremony in Abuja. Sadly, it was later discovered that some portions of the speech he read in the programme were plagiarised.

What a way to begin such significant programme! Buhari ordered probe into the issue, and in the end a top official in the presidency was sanctioned, but the controversy did not die down.

Akin Fadeyi, the owner of ‘Not in My Country’ project, alleged that Lai Mohammed, minister of information, who is the brain behind ‘Change Begins With Me’, stole his idea.

He claimed the idea behind the campaign originated from him and was taken from his project. Although the programme is gaining momentum across the federation, Mohammed and Fadeyi are in court over the issue of infringement.

RAID ON JUDGES’ HOMES

Anti-corruption is one of the cardinal objectives of the current administration. “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill this country,” Buhari had said during his presidential campaign.

The anti-graft war was extended to the judiciary in October, and apart from a judge who was rescued by a governor, the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested at least seven judges. Some of them were  arraigned in court, while others are still being investigated.

The issue was discussed far and wide, with lawyers divided. The secret police broke into the homes of the ‘lords’, who are considered sacred.

AISHA BELONGS IN THE OTHER ROOM

One of the most vociferous first ladies we have had in recent times is Patience Jonathan. Dubbed Mama P by her supporters, Patience didn’t allow lack of mastery of communication skills deny her the right to be heard. She stood by her husband when it mattered most.

Aisha Buhari has also been supportive. She toured the length and breadth of the country in the electioneering days. But many were taken aback voiced out her frustration over certain developments about her husband’s government. Alleging that the government had been hijacked, she said if things continued that way, and he sought to be reelected in 2019, she wouldn’t support him.

The issue coincided with a time when Buhari had an engagement in Germany. Were it the other way round, the matter would have probably been swept under the carpet, at least without the public knowing the position of the president on the missiles fired by his wife.

Reporters had asked Buhari how he felt, and his response was considered worse than Aisha’s vituperation. He had said: “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs in my kitchen and my living room and the other room.

“So I claim superior knowledge over her and the rest of the opposition, because in the end I have succeeded. It’s not easy to satisfy the whole Nigerian opposition parties or to participate in the government.”

He made the utterance right beside Angel Merkel, the woman who has led Germany for over a decade.

JOSHUA’S PROPHECIES ON US ELECTION

From football matches to disasters, and general happenings in the world, TB Joshua has carved a niche for predictions or prophecies. Shortly after he was elected, John Atta Mills, immediate past president of Ghana, led his cabinet members to the headquarters of Joshua’s Synagogue of All Nations in the Ikotun area of Lagos for an elaborate thanksgiving.

During the service, Mills had said: “The man of God not only said I would win, he predicted that the election would hold twice, and that was what happened. He gave the prophecy right here in this auditorium.”

Joshua was also believed to have predicted the emergence of Joyce Banda as president of Malawi.

But something went wrong in the US election. Joshua saw a woman as next president of the country, but Americans voted for a man.

The church decided to do some damage control, but the public won’t let him be.

The year 2016 has been a politically interesting year; we hope 2017  will be better.