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Presidency defends why GEJ is target of probe
The presidency has said that the Muhammadu Buhari administration would limit its probe of past administrations to the immediate last one of Goodluck Jonathan because it was the right thing to do, and it was what Buhari promised Nigerians during the campaigns.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said on THirsday that the probe was the proper thing to do, given that the anomalies in the immediate past administration were very obvious.
He also added, that it would be a distraction for the present government to enter into a probe of other administrations down the line.
He said: “It is a simple thing. Before he was inaugurated, the President said that it will be a distraction for him to start digging deep into past governments. He said so. I don’t see anything new. But it will be irresponsible of any government to leave things of the immediate past that are glaring and evident and not do anything about it.
“It is not a witch-hunt. You have evidence and they are glaring. A responsible government should do something about it. It is not about the former president. It is about how they acquitted themselves in the responsibility they were given. When you are given a public responsibility, you are responsible to the people.
“You must account. When you bury a corpse and the legs are sticking out, have you buried the corpse? No. Once there are trails of money, in dollars everywhere, a responsible government should investigate. It is not as if they are witch-hunting anybody”, he said.
Before leaving office, former president Jonathan had said any probe by the new government would be seen as a “witch-hunt” if it fails to go beyond his administration. The Presidency, however, argued that it was not a witch-hunt.
Read also: ‘Buhari wants to send GEJ to prison’
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said it was not against President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to single out the past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for probe.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, who stated this yesterday in Lokoja during the conduct of the state’s delegates congress of the party, said the probe is in line with the party (PDP)’s stand against corruption.
“If President Buhari singled out the past administration and PDP members for probe, so be it. We are not against it. If one is not guilty he has nothing to be afraid of if he or she is singled out; at the end, it will amount to vindication for such persons. Only the guilty will be afraid”, he said.
Metuh had during the week accused the Federal Government of treating the PDP as ‘prisoners of war’ in view of the way the party members were being treated.
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OludeJoe
July 24, 2015 at 9:25 am
Yes, I think PMB is at liberty to determine the scope of probe. If GEJ believe that there was corruption before his administration why did he fail to bring the perpetrators to book.
Your Barclay Premiership 360 degree is a BOMB, keep it up
Charles Emagboron
July 24, 2015 at 10:03 am
Nigerians stand for right judgement, if the present administration is truely ready to fight corruption, it must b delt with from the root n not from the leaves.
The present administration should go as far back as 1999 and make a clear purging for a better Nigeria,the entire nation is behind the present government in this fight,enough is enough,let’s not make mockery of ourselves before the international community.Fight corruption or back out if the will power is not there.
chukwuka .a.t
July 24, 2015 at 1:42 pm
many nigerians expect probes from when we entered into civilian rule – obasonjo, yar’adua nd jonathan. it wud be witch-hunt to limit probe to jonathan administration. why wud nigerians not know how the past leaders since 1999 became billionaires of stupendous wealth? there shud be no military esprit de corps on the presido’s intentions to probe.
lady jamai
July 24, 2015 at 2:33 pm
Some people talk as if they don’t have brain or think deep, a yoruba adage says “when log of wood fell on one another you pick the top one first”. If Jonathan is not part of the past corrupt government why didn’t he probe the one before him ? Let’s call a spade a spade and stop being ignorant
AJAYI NOAH BABATOPE
July 24, 2015 at 3:16 pm
I think Jonathan failure to probe those ruled before him was not Buhari’s fault so the present administration will start from where Jonathan stop.For this,Jonathan can see himself as a fool for leaving his responsibilities for other person to do and still think is witch-hunting.
chris
July 25, 2015 at 3:34 am
let see hw it goes, no too much talk cus, dose who live in glass houxs don’t throw stones!!!
Daniel
July 25, 2015 at 5:40 am
Buhari is very smart. He knows that probing the immediate past government will eventually lead to probing many if not all of our past leaders that had been grossly involved in corrupt practices. When many of our past leaders stole billions of naira and could not pay N18,000.00 minimum wage to civil servants among other failings, yet, some folks are here talking about witch hunting. How I have longed to see all our past currupt leaders being sent to life jail. Some of them truly deserve death sentence. I don’t care where Buhari wishes to start from or who goes to jail first. When trees fall upon trees, first the top most must be removed. May the Almighty God give our President the will and grace to succeed in this war against corruption. I hope there won’t be another coup this time to stop him or any plan by his enemies to assassinate him. Long live Nigeria!