Corruption allegations: Jonathan replies Buhari

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has told the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government to leave him alone and face Transparency International, who claimed that Nigeria was more corrupt today than under the last Peoples Democratic Party government.

Recall that Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, reacting to a statement in Goodluck Jonathan’s ‘My Transition hours’ which stated that corruption was less in his government than in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, asked ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to give records of his achievements instead of “blaming everyone but himself”.

He asked Jonathan of the use in announcing policies including the Biometric Verification Number (BVN) and Treasury Single Account (TSA) without implementing them.

However, in a statement released by Jonathan’s media office and signed by his former media aide, Reno Omokri, he said the presidency is showing signs of guilty conscience in its manner of response to the contents of the new book.

“First and foremost, it was not former President Jonathan who said Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was under the last Peoples Democratic Party administration. That fact was actually stated by Transparency International, the only global body acknowledged as an independent rating agency for corruption.

“Whereas under Jonathan and the PDP, Nigeria made her best ever improvement on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, moving eight places forward from 144 to 136 in 2014, but under President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, Nigeria has made her worst ever retrogression, moving backwards 12 places from 136 to 148. This is a fact.”

The statement added, “And other people have stated the obvious besides Transparency International, one of them being Ms. Priti Patel, immediate past UK Secretary of State for International Development, who this week described President Buhari’s anti-corruption war as a sham and an impediment to Nigeria and urged foreign direct investors to shun Nigeria because of Buhari.

“But Mr. Garba Shehu forgot to tell Nigerians how his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari went to Paris and praised the Governor of Kano state, a man caught on camera hiding dollar bribes in his babanriga. Yet, they charged Ayo Fayose and refused to charge Babachir Lawal.

“Even the blind can see the corruption of this administration and the deaf can hear it. With questionable certificates, fraudulent #NextLevel logo and document, plagiarizing speeches of both Barrack Obama and Charles DeGaulle. Not to talk of the $25 billion dollars’ worth of contracts awarded without due process at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as revealed in Mr. Ibe Kachikwu’s leaked memo, Aisha Buhari’s ADC’s looted billions and the reinstatement and promotion of a thief like Maina.

“If the Buhari administration is upset at their gold medal for corruption, they should not take out their frustrations at Mr. Jonathan. They should face the umpire who gave them the award, Transparency International.”