Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, said over the weekend that the Federal government ought to have been more ruthless with treasury looters rather than just naming, saying a lot more people who should be facing charges did not appear on the list.
Oshiomhole said the Fderal Government was right to have named looters and published their names in the press because Nigerians have the right to know who stole their money.
He spoke to journalists at the weekend in Benin shortly after the wedding reception of the daughter of the House of Representatives member representing Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency in Edo state, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma.
“My only complain is that the Federal Government ought to be more ruthless with treasury looters because there are a lot of people who should be in court who are not there.
“The kind of money they (Peoples Democratic Party) stole was huge and it was in dollars. We can’t be lamenting today without understanding that the treasury was bungled yesterday by these people. My point is that all of them involved in the looting should be put in public domain,” he said.
“Someone sneaked into your kitchen and took away everything and when you wake up, the person said I am sorry (like PDP chairman Uche Secondus), I stole the pot of soup, in fact I broke into the kitchen and people are saying we should continue like that,” Oshiomhole observed.
“The promise of democracy is that, either good or bad, the people have a right to know what happened yesterday. That is the starting point, and it is particularly important especially when the armed robber of yesterday is trying to carry out facial surgery in order to looks different and continue the work.”
The ex-governor explained that some of the accused have already changed their identity and finger print so that they can come back for more looting, adding that some who carried out the act add no value to the country’s national enterprise other than helping themselves to the public fund by just being in a ruling party.
“I heard former acting chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, saying that the reason they did not indict former Minister of Petroleum, Dezeani Allison Maduake, was that the money missing was approved by former president Goodluck Jonathan.
If the President approved that the money should be stolen and shouldn’t go to the Federation Account, is that the reason the PDP-led Senate and the Subcommittee led by Makarfi cannot say it is not the minister but the President,” he questioned.
Oshiomhole said: “it is interesting to hear the PDP saying that the National Assembly should not approve the $1 billion that President Muhammadu Buhari has proposed to spend on security when the PDP spent well above that without National Assembly approval in their looting.
He advised the electorate to be careful in dealing with persons with bad intentions who disguise as friends in order to sway supporters for personal gain.
“We should see Nigeria beyond political parties because it is much more than all of them put together. So if there is an argument between them, don’t define the issue on the bases of who are the people being argued with are, but by the issue raised and how it affects you,” he advised.
The former labour leader urged the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to go after all the individuals involved in the looting of country’s treasure in order not to undermine the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari.