A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and immediate past Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has urged President Bola Tinubu to constitute a panel to probe all past administrations in the country.
Olanipekun said for the present administration to avoid the mistakes of past regimes, the President must examine and audit all books and records, as well as past expenditures so as to get an insight into reasons why the “economy is presently grounded, why the refineries have collapsed in spite of billions, if not trillions of Naira that have been allegedly expended at refurbishing them.”
The top lawyer, who made the recommendations at the colloquium held to mark the 25th anniversary of Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in Abuja on Friday, said for Tinubu to turn around the fortune of Nigeria, he must ask pertinent questions and find out where past regimes failed.
“The present administration of President Tinubu must examine and audit all books and records as well as past expenditures, whether real or otherwise,” Olanipekun said.
“Let us remind ourselves that we cannot make omelet without breaking eggs. What do I mean? The President has to ask questions, and sordid questions indeed, about how we have come to this sorry pass; why we are in a big mess; why the economy is grounded; what have happened to the previous budgets and the trillions of Naira allocated to road rehabilitation, healthcare delivery, security, infrastructural rehabilitation, institutional restoration, etc.
“Why have our airports, particularly the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, which is our gateway to the outside world, plunged into such a shambolic state, constituting an eyesore to any rational human being- despite the billions of Naira purportedly earmarked and expended towards rehabilitating them; why our youths and professionals of all cadres, at their prime, exiting the country in droves (JAPA) in search of golden fleece which does/do not even exist in several instances.
“For example, it is now common knowledge that many Nigerians are left destitute without jobs, after travelling to the United Kingdom.
“Lest I forget, the government must also interrogate a very profound question as to why the national currency, Naira has fallen so abysmally, almost from grace to grass, and virtually becoming valueless with N900 exchanging for just one USD,” he added.