A former federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has taken the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) to the cleaners for saying he will not probe leaders who have been at the helm of the nation’s affairs from 1999 till date. Clark noted that Buhari has shown with that stance that he had nothing to offer Nigeria and not sincere with his anti-corruption crusade.
The South-south leader who disclosed this yesterday while addressing newsmen at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, insisted that the presidential candidate’s declaration was an indication that him and his party men were bare-face liars, hypocrites, dishonest, insincere and lack integrity to govern Nigeria as a country, just as he claimed that Buhari’s intentions were to protect those around him whom he alleged were corrupt and facing charges in various forms.
He requested President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde and carry out a total re-organisation of the Commission to enable conduct effective discharge of its saddled responsibility of investigating and prosecuting corrupt Nigerians.
Regretting that the anti-graft agency has failed to prosecute corrupt past officials of government, Clark stated that the EFCC has now restricted itself to going after those involved in cyber and petty crimes.
The former government spokesman named former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Kwara state, Senator Bukola Saraki, Governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi and former FCT Minister, Nasir El Rufai ascorrupt, asserting that they have now found home in Buhari’s camp, who has now promised not to probe them if he becomes the President of the country.
Other APC chieftains listed by the Ijaw chief as corrupt include: Governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, Governor of Kano state, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, former Governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu and former Governor of Adamawa state, Murtala Nyako; Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Saminu Turaki, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Professor Babalola Borishade.
He maintained that the implication of the statement credited to Buhari was that those who were facing corrupt charges or alleged of corruption before May 29, 2015 would be pardoned and it was so because there was already a fight in the camp of APC, adding that those funding his campaign were beginning to question him whether he will prosecute them when he gets into power.
While pointing out that opposition leader changed the tune of his music as to when he will begin his fight against corruption because of the big names who are with him, the elder statesman said that the APC was not qualified to fight corruption contrary to what Buhari had said during his campaign.
According to him, “General Muhammadu Buhari has always anchored his campaign promises on two planks: to wipe out insecurity and corruption. With the renewed offensive against the terrorists leading to the killing and dislodgement of the Boko Haran anarchists, the first campaign plank of Buhari has been given a technical knock-out by President Goodluck Jonathan and the whole world is witnessing the reclaiming of all territories hitherto held by Boko Haram.
“This leaves him on a one-legged platform. Again on the remaining plank; corruption, General Buhari himself got jittery and gave himself another technical knock-out when he said that he will not probe past leaders. With this development, Buhari has conceded that he has nothing more to offer the good people of this country.
“I am puzzled to hear Buhari say that ‘whoever has been indicted o corruption between 1999 to the time of hid swearing-in would be pardoned. According to him, like a village sports man, he will draw a line, anybody who involves himself in corruption after he assumes office on May 29, 2015 will face the music, while no matter how corrupt a person has been before then, he/she would be asked to go and sin no more.
“One wonders if the man, Buhari knows what the law says about corruption. Will General Muhammadu Buhari’s proclamation take the effect of law?
“The declaration of Buhari clearly shows that he and his co-travellers in APC are bare-face liars, hypocrites, dishonest, insincere and lack integrity simply because they want power and are bent on pursuing to psychotic level.
“What is Buhari really afraid of? Why is he promising a blanket pardon to all corrupt office holders before the election? Is that his new selling point? Supposing it was possible for Buhari to win election which is not, can he start the fight against corruption with himself and his APC cohort since most of them are already standing trial in court.Why can’t he be bold enough to call a spade by its name?” Clark asked.
The APC presidential candidate who spoke in Hausa in Kaduna during the zonal rally held at the International Trade Fair was alleged to have said, “On the issue of past corrupt leaders facing trials in various courts across the country, I would allow the courts to decide on those cases, but whoever that is indicted of corruption between 1999 to the time of swearing-in, would be pardoned. I am going to draw a line, anybody who involved himself in corruption after I assume office, will face the music.”
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