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Why anti-graft war seems ‘tilted’ against PDP, by Odigie-Oyegun

By Adamu Abuh, Abuja
26 January 2016   |   2:37 am
NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday explained why members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are mostly affected by the on-going war against corruption in the country...
Odigie-Oyegun

Odigie-Oyegun

• Says only EFCC can probe Jonathan, not an APC affair <em

NATIONAL Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday explained why members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are mostly affected by the on-going war against corruption in the country.

During a press conference at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, Odigie-Oyegun maintained that those condemning the anti-graft war were only doing so to undermine the noble objective of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Flanked by chieftains of the party, Odigie-Oyegun stated that the decision whether to probe former president Goodluck Jonathan or not over corrupt practices is for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to take and not within the jurisdiction of the APC.

In reference to Chief Olu Falae and other prominent Nigerians who believe the anti-graft war is politically motivated, he explained that President Buhari deserves commendation for having the courage to investigate past administrations in the last 16 years.

Urging Nigerians to be patient, he said: “This is a judicial and investigative matter over which the party has absolutely no control of. It is not my job to probe Jonathan, it is the job of the EFFC. Like I said, wherever the train leads, so be it.

“We took over a house in a state of collapse. And all we are trying to do is to clean up the rubble.
But people tend to give the impression that we are so concentrated on that and nothing else is happening. A lot is happening that we will tell Nigerians in the next few months.

“What people are doing is trying to divert attention and trying to undermine the intent of what is going on. In fact I have read a few comments from well-meaning people. Look let me say this, if we want to clean up this country, if we want to save this country, then we must be serious. And so wherever the train goes, there we will also go.

Oyegun also justified why the party settled for Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor ahead of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife for the Anambra central senatorial seat rerun election.

8 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    “….President Buhari deserves commendation for having the courage to investigate past administrationS in the last 16 years.”…Oyegun. Really? Last 16 years? So, Obasanjo and his two-term administrations were not corrupt, who has been probed in Obasanjo’s regime? Mr. Oyegun, the Nigerian house was already “in rubbles” because of corruption that clearly predated Jonathan. If the APC-led government is scared of probing the military $billionaires of the likes of IBB, they should at least investigate the Halliburton, Transcop, Power and other monumental corruptions in the PDP-led administrations of Obasanjo. In case you do not know Mr. Oyegun, unless and until this corruption war is extended to AT LEAST Obasanjo’s regime, reasonable people will continue to view the war as a vendetta, and rightly so. Lastly Mr. Oyegun, remember that PDP metamorphorsed to APC – the same DNA, the same anatomy and physiology, but different nomenclature. Yet, every APC man is a saint, while the APC train is a sanctuary, resulting in endless defections, making mockery of our multi-party democracy!

    • Author’s gravatar

      Who’s actually doing the probe? The presidency or the EFCC? Because it me EFCC takes instructions from the presidency. Am I wrong?

    • Author’s gravatar

      My Brother, It’s obvious a lot of people don’t understand what probing a regime entails. any reasonable government should only prob the last administration if not it’ll be an endless battle. a big distraction and a time consuming futile exercise. Jonathan was responsible for probing OBJ and since he didn’t do it, GMB does not have the moral burden of doing it. He needs to only probe the Jonathan administration so he too can focus on his campaign goals.

      • Author’s gravatar

        My brother, thank you for your politeness. I do see where you are coming from, BUT Mr. Oyegun spoke about “last 16 years.” Last 16 years” MOSTLY involved Obasanjo – he ruled more than any other president within the “last 16 years.” Do you believe that Obasanjo is a saint? I don’t! His regime was grossly corrupt. Why focus ONLY on Jonathan?

  • Author’s gravatar

    Refund the money you stole from Edo State, thief oyegun

  • Author’s gravatar

    Central Bank should explain to all Nigerians how Col Sambo Dasuki got million-Dollar cash to distribute, when the same CBN tells the banks not to transfer large Naira amount or receive large amount in any account, without the approval and notification of such transactions by EFCC & CBN. But here, CBN is doing large cash business trasfer even in Dollar denomination. CBN and the Bank managers are guilty of money laundry. Somebody in CBN is working against the same CBN rule of cashless policy. “who no know, go know”, You can not be a law maker and also be the same law breaker with impunity. If EFCC cannot ask this question, then Justice is being served with one eye, one hand, half mind, one ear, one leg and selective ( corruption inside corruption fight) is a waste of material time, resources and dis-able. OSGG.

  • Author’s gravatar

    It is sad that Chief Oyegun, a former super permanent secretary and former governor of Edo State, did not see the “rubbles” of Nigeria until the past 6 years. It’s equally ironic that all the rots in Nigeria are now laid on the door stairs of the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in order to stir the masses against his political platform, the PDP. Throughout the campaign and since Oyegun’s APC came to power, Nigerians have been fed with the same hate-food “Jonathan destroyed Nigeria” without recourse to the insidious corruptions of his predecessors. A proper peep into the Pandora’s box will even find Oyegun’s fingers in the “rubbles” of the nation. Nevertheless, there are Nigerians who see beyond Oyegun’s APC dramatization and who are already witnessing the inconsistencies of the ruling party. Chief Oyegun should know this!

  • Author’s gravatar

    Nigerians will always find an excuse or reason for evil policies. Some are truely sick and tired of it. I hope they can finally stand up and say NO.