‘Why we must support Buhari’s anti graft war’
Abayomi
A renowned constitutional lawyer and Human Rights Activist, Dr. Tunji Abayomi has called on Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his ongoing anti-graft crusade for no other purpose than the good and the benefit of the country.
The legal luminary said it was imperative that Nigerians should support the crusade, while he called on those implicated in the $2 billion arms deal to return their share “in the best interest of Nigeria.”
He noted that the Buhari’s anti-graft war would be more meaningful if the immediate past president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was invited to render account of what transpired under his watch in the last six years.
In a media chat with journalists recently, Abayomi said he was disappointed over the involvement of some prominent Yoruba leaders, whom he described as champions of progressive politics in the South West, in the arms deal.
According to him, “The Buhari corruption war is commendable and fundamental because Nigerians did not really grasp the magnitude of the corrupt practices under the last administration until recent revelations.”
According to him, “The issue is even more serious than we read on the pages of newspapers. The truth is our law says public wealth should not be spent without appropriation if you look at our Constitution. Unfortunately, most of the monies, were not only spent without appropriation but it was being used improperly and unconstitutionally.”
He said former President, Dr. Jonathan owed it a duty to explain what happened under him to Nigerians “otherwise I would not believe that the ongoing war against corruption would have any meaning until that is done. The moment we begin to hold our leaders responsible for their actions and that of their subordinates we would begin to get it right. Nigeria is purely a victim of bad and corrupt leadership.”
While he expressed confidence in the integrity of Buhari’s led administration to lead Nigeria out of the woods and set it on the right path, the legal luminary challenged all those who have been implicated one way or the other, most especially Yoruba leaders to follow the path of honour for the purpose of their cultural values to return whatever share of the money in their covers adding: “Any South West leader that is found culpable in the deal must desists from giving unnecessary excuses but should return the money and also apologise for the embarrassment that they have caused for the hope and expectations among the people of Nigeria.”
He said the $2 billion arms deal was just a small portion of the rot and that “there are still other mind burgling revelations.”
On his aspiration to govern Ondo State as preparations for the governorship election scheduled for October gathers momentum, Abayomi said he was confident of clinching the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) whenever the party’s primary is conducted.
He said he stood the best chance being the most experienced and popular among the aspirants that have so far indicated interest within the APC to defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by the outgoing governor, Dr. Segun Mimiko.
Abayomi who is a member of the APC’s Presidential Screening Committee for the 2015 election averred that the only way to rescue Ondo out of the present mess “is total change and development philosophy, which only the APC can provide.”
Abayomi also flayed every policy of the incumbent government in the last seven years, saying: “they have not only impoverished the state but also reversed the stride of growth and development that the state once enjoyed under the leadership of former governors Adebayo Adefarati and Dr. Olusegun Agagu.”
“Ondo has nothing to show for the over N900 billion revenue both in terms of Federal Allocation and revenue generation over the years,” he alleged.
Highlighting what he would do if he eventually becomes governor; the lawyer said his first focus would be war against poverty through human face policies.
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11 Comments
Tell them please.
The call to support the war on corruption would be more meaningful if it was not just exclusively targeted at Jonathan and members of his administration. Most Nigerians are in full support of the anti corruption crusade but have reservations as to the methodology of the administration. It is self serving for an advertised constitutional and human rights lawyer to call for the blanket support of the president’s war on corruption without also advising the president to respect the rights of the accused as prescribed by our constitution. We can fight the war and still respect our laws.
mr stan….with this unpresedented level of corruption under jonathan ..in a dimension we have never seen in our life time …..whom do you expect buhari to target?….. me or you?…….asking buhari to target any other person is an exercise in futility……the level of corruption under Jonathan is comparable to all level of corruption in nigeria since independence put together…….It will be highly irresponsibility on the part of buhari to prevent jonathan from telling us what he did with our money …even more shameful and irresponsible on the part of jonathan to keep mute…….. At times i wonder if Jonathan is an imbecile or insane …….because it takes an insane person to allow such meaningless level of corruption under his watch
Of course. That is why we probe. For instance without probing OBJ how would you know the level of corruption during his presidency. It is unfortunate that the war on corruption is flavored with tribal sentiments and that would destroy Nigeria faster than treasury looting. Just as in football you don’t assign wins and loses to teams you play the game to see who would win. Let’s probe OBJ and compare. Reserve some of the name calling because when OBJ is probed you will need to call him a few. Jonathan’s administration maybe corrupt but the OBJ administration would make him look like an amateur.
While every right thinking Nigerian should support Buhari’s war against corruption in Nigeria, it also be stressed that the fight must not only begin and end with the Jonathan government.
The legal luminary must also own up to the fact that Nigeria has been operating a corrupt unitary system of government in the false sense of “federal” which encourages corruption of all It’s institutions. After prosecuting the Jonathan government, if it were to be successfully done under the prevailing circumstances, if the corrupt structure Nigeria is resting on, is not restructured, the Nigerian corruption system will only transit to another form of corruption.
We must begin to be sincere with ourselves and ask, why is it that almost every Nigerian institution is corrupt? Without going to the roots of Nigerian corruption system, we will only end up with cosmetic fight, creating more tensions.
After prosecuting Jonathan government, more prosecutions will eventually be needed
And under no circumstances should the fight against corruption be half done, otherwise partially, selective justice would have been enthroned which is detrimental to rule of law.
Who is afraid of supporting anti-graft war? Where was Abayomi when OBJ was institutionalizing corruption in Nigeria? What did Abayomi say then? I’m sure he is not under 10 years old! Citizens’ problem is that Buhari is “running with the hare and hunting with the hound”. Look at Tinubu who is fighting corruption with Buhari: he cannot set his foot in the USA without cooling his feet in jail. Amaechi became an overnight billionaire and he is the most qualified candidate for a ministerial appointment, and a host of other wolves in sheep’s clothing who are champions of anti-graft war. We must fight the war but it must also be justly and honestly prosecuted.
For your information, Abayomi was one of OBJ’s supporters and defenders.
liar tinubu has been coming in and out of USA with ease…..When the corrupts politician and their agents have no defense they result to lying and blackmail….enough is enough we are taking back Nigeria from all of you
The tree of corruption must be UPROOTED, not just trimming it. OBJ, the crowned GODFATHER of corruption cannot be allowed to roam our streets without nailing him. The fight against corruption will be a laughable charade, a non-starter. OBJ knows this, Buhari knows this also. CORRUPTION HAS NO EXPIRY DATE.
Yoruba man, green snake in the green grass. You didn’t talk of Obasanjo, the banal of corruption. You didn’t talk of Tinubu or fashola, corrupt gangsters. Leave Jonathan alone, if you can’t live to see him live , take acid and die.
The President’s fight on corruption is not transparent enough to Nigerians.
The names, addresses and amount stolen of all corrupt Nigerians should be published constantly.
Nigerians should be mobilized to get their money back; especially the unemployed.
We will review and take appropriate action.