Obasanjo Ex President's anti-corruption fight was selective – Uzor Kalu says
The former Governor said this when asked about his opinion on the anti-corruption stance of President Buhari.
The former Governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, in an interview, slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying his anti-corruption fight was selective.
Kalu alleged that OBJ used the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to settle scores with his political opponents.
The former Governor said this when asked about his opinion on the anti-corruption stance of President Buhari.
An excerpt of his interview obtained from The Daily Sun reads:
“He (Buhari) should not fight corruption the way former President
Olusegun Obasanjo did, when you have seen me spend security vote and you
are after me on that to settle personal scores. You pursue people for
not supporting your inordinate ambition and policies, it is wrong. I
appeal to President Buhari not to get involved in that kind of
corruption-fighting and I am happy he has appointed someone who has
lesser belief in material things, as acting chairman of Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). I am saying this because when all
these people say they are fighting corruption, they don’t really fight
corruption. You know I don’t fear anybody; I’m not even afraid of dying
today and not afraid of not saying the truth.”
Kalu also said “He
(Buhari) is not selective at all. People should not expect him to pick
on those who were not in power and had nothing to do with our
commonwealth. It is those who were entrusted with our money he is
calling to come and give account of what they did with the money. So, he
is not selective. I sincerely believe that if people abuse their
offices, they should be punished thoroughly, not looking at who is
involved. I have always said it even before President Buhari that he
should not have two sets of rules but one and if he maintains that, he
is not going to be in problem with anybody. Mind you, the European and
North American countries have a lot of belief in his attitude to
fighting corruption; they have not disapproved that and it’s high rating
for him. I don’t know what Nigerians think, but he has high rating from
the international community in his ability to genuinely clean the
cobwebs in the four corners of the house and I think this is what he is
doing.”
“People might be saying it was
the same Buhari, who wanted to lock everybody up, you cannot leave
people who genuinely stole Nigeria’s money. Some people they said stole
money, did not steal any money. Within me, when I look at myself, my
conscience tells me I did not break any law, but the matter is in the
court of law. I believe sincerely that Buhari cannot lock anybody up in
prison that did not do anything. What will he gain from it? He also
knows that this is democracy and not military rule; so, he is applying
due process in his fight against corruption,” the ex-Governor said.
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