Debo Adeniran is a fearless anti-corruption crusader. He is the Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL. During the Military junta, Adeniran was prominent among pro-democracy Activists that fought the draconian regime of Late General Sani Abacha to a standstill . When the nation returned to constitutional democracy, the Human rights Activist has been a thorn in the flesh of corrupt leaders in Nigeria. In this interview with Eni Olukotun, Editor, Complete News, Adeniran vowed not to relent until alleged corruption cases preferred against former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola are investigated. Excerpt:
What would you say to the allegations that you are being sponsored to bring down former Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN ?
That is what a lot people have been saying. I wonder why some people think in certain ways. They (Fashola and his ilk) should just come out with a superior facts to counter what we have revealed rather than saying we are been sponsored.
Let even say, without conceding that we are been sponsored. Are we sponsored to do something bad? Are we sponsored to assassinate someone? If we are supposedly sponsored to do what is right why should people be disturbed about that?
For instance, if I am easily cowed, I would have chickened out. We made frantic effort by documenting the alleged corruption committed by the Fashola Administration into two books (Lagos Open Parliament 1&2).
CACOL ensured that Fashola got copies of the books. We were told that he threatened to sue for libel. We are yet to get his libel suit. We said in one of the books that Mr Tunji Olowolafe, the owner of Deux Limited got over-bloated contracts. We never got any libel suits from him. You can see that recent revelations on how the former Governor used N78million to build personal website among others vindicated us.
We said Olowolafe was paid millions to renovate hospitals in the state and he never executed the contract. Their own argument was that we published a classified document. The question any discerning person should ask is : Are the things we said true or not?.
If people had joined us then, we would have prevailed on him to give account of his stewardship. Look at what are coming out now, the issue of website, the person that developed the site said he got N10m but N78m was drawn from the coffers. Where is the balance? Ditto for the cable bridge that was said to have been built for N25b which in actual sense, it would not have cost more than N6b. These are the arguments we canvassed. They have not been able to controvert our findings. If they had their facts, would not they have come out to counter our claims?
Infact, if the people alleging that we are sponsored understood the condition in which we (CACOL) operate they would not even say we are acting a script.
CACOL grouse with the Fashola Government
Look at the schools in Lagos. There are schools that pupils still sit on bare floor. Should that have been the case. Even some Public schools in highbrow Victoria Island are not spared. Go to the outskirts like Idimu, Ikotun. Look at roads in these areas, like Command, Aboru. Please go to Ajangbadi, Oke-Ira in Ogba. Go and check their schools. Even as Teachers you would not be happy teaching in an environment that is not conducive for learning.
You will recall that Fashola Government got over $200m from UNESCO to fund Eko Project. Where has the money gone? When the Government was challenged to publish how the monies were spent, Fashola kicked and claimed that Freedom of Information Act is a Federal law.
It was a brazen looting. If you check our publications (Open Lagos Parliament 1&2), you will see what we unraveled by ourselves including what we gathered from the media.
So, I am always taken aback when some people accost me to ask the grouse CACOL has against the former Governor. We have documented everything in books. Nobody has written that what we wrote was falsified. Were the allegations contrived? When you investigate and discover otherwise, then there will be basis for the entire hullabaloo. But nobody had been able to discredit what we found out about the Fashola Government. Go to the streets and verify all these things.
Some even raised concerns about your closeness to some perceived political foes of the former Governor could be responsible for this ‘Probe Fashola’ campaign
Must I be enemy to everybody? Am I close to Bola Tinubu? I am supposed to close to Tinubu because he was there when were in trenches (Military era). We are supposed to be friends. Infact, late frontline, Pro-democracy Activist, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti handed him over to us (civil rights activists) before his death. Did we support him? It is not at this stage that one will compromise.
I am even closer to Fashola than some of them. They should stop all the noise and consider the merits of the allegations.
We published the first book in 2011 the issues we raised there are largely the same. Only few of those dilapidated public infrastructure were given attention. Go and check from Oba Akran Avenue, Ogba Road, Ojodu Road including Pen Cinema among others.
All we are doing is that we knew we could not get justice under an administration that glorifies criminality. We just put on record that when things were degenerating this is what we were able to document. No matter what anybody thinks, we will do what is right.
What do you make of the complaints by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP that President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade is selective?
Why would not they cry out? The opposition shouted then when former President Olusegun Obasanjo unleashed Nuhu Ribadu-led EFCC on Governors. They will always be hue and cry. What is important is that everybody being tried should have been seen to have committed an offence that was leveled against him.
They won’t convict innocent people. So, if they are not harassing innocent people, there is no problem. Even if Jesus Christ were to be at the saddle, he has to selectively try those that have committed crime.
Moreso, you will naturally try those you have witnesses and evidence against them. For instance, people clamored for the prosecution of former Governor Bola Tinubu. We came and said Tinubu come and defend yourself. Nobody has presented credible evidence against Tinubu. So, what will they use to prosecute him.
He went to the Code of Conduct Bureau and he came out vindicated .Are we to say he is guilty at all cost?
