Once again, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of promoting corruption and incompetence in the country.
Obasanjo said the government’s open display of corruption constitutes a threat to the economy.
Obasanjo spoke yesterday at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja during the public presentation of two books: “The Story of my two Worlds: Challenges, Experiences” (an autobiography of a former President of the Court of Appeal and pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Justice Mustapha Akanbi) and “A Life of Service and Grace: Shared Perspectives” (a collection of essays by scholars).
The former president also accused the Jonathan administration and members of the seventh National Assembly of promoting corruption and poor governance in the country. He specifically accused the lawmakers of siphoning public funds through what they call ‘constituency projects’.
“Nigeria cannot continue to indulge in disdain of truth, elevation of corruption and incompetence, reinforcement of failure, condoning of heinous crimes and celebration of mediocrity, tribal bigotry, fomenting violence and anti-democratic practices in the states and National Assembly.
“Like prostitution, corruption is almost as old as man on the surface of the earth. It is needless to say that, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the combined and complementary efforts of ICPC and EFCC made Nigerians and non-Nigerians know that corruption can be put on check and put to flight. When I came out of prison and I was persuaded to run as president, corruption was one of the priority items I chose to confront.
“Corruption in the National Assembly also includes what they call constituency projects which they give to their agents to execute, but invariably, full payment is made with little, or no job done. In all these, if the Executive is absolutely above board, the offending members of the National Assembly resort to subtle or open threat, intimidation and blackmail of the executive.
“For quite some time, the covered and hushed up corruption has had its toll on the economy. The non-investment in the oil and gas sector by major international oil companies has added its own deleterious impact. Our continued heavy dependence on one commodity had not adequately prepared us against any shock in that one commodity in the international plane,” he added.
Culled from Leadership www.leadership.ng
Obasanjo said the government’s open display of corruption constitutes a threat to the economy.
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| Former President Olusegun Obasanjo. |
The former president also accused the Jonathan administration and members of the seventh National Assembly of promoting corruption and poor governance in the country. He specifically accused the lawmakers of siphoning public funds through what they call ‘constituency projects’.
“Nigeria cannot continue to indulge in disdain of truth, elevation of corruption and incompetence, reinforcement of failure, condoning of heinous crimes and celebration of mediocrity, tribal bigotry, fomenting violence and anti-democratic practices in the states and National Assembly.
“Like prostitution, corruption is almost as old as man on the surface of the earth. It is needless to say that, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the combined and complementary efforts of ICPC and EFCC made Nigerians and non-Nigerians know that corruption can be put on check and put to flight. When I came out of prison and I was persuaded to run as president, corruption was one of the priority items I chose to confront.
“Corruption in the National Assembly also includes what they call constituency projects which they give to their agents to execute, but invariably, full payment is made with little, or no job done. In all these, if the Executive is absolutely above board, the offending members of the National Assembly resort to subtle or open threat, intimidation and blackmail of the executive.
“For quite some time, the covered and hushed up corruption has had its toll on the economy. The non-investment in the oil and gas sector by major international oil companies has added its own deleterious impact. Our continued heavy dependence on one commodity had not adequately prepared us against any shock in that one commodity in the international plane,” he added.
Culled from Leadership www.leadership.ng
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