- Obono-Obla says the PDP should keep quiet because corruption during its rule was so high it was shocking
- Sagay says PDP has no case because it destroyed the economy and produced ex-minister Alison Diezani-Madueke
- Obla says EFCC and ICPC have become even more effective under the present APC government of President Buhari
Presidential aide Okoi Obono-Obla has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the party’s claims that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has weakened the anti-corruption fight.
Reports say Obono-Obla, a special assistant to the president on prosecutions, thrashed PDP’s claims that anti-corruption bodies EFCC and ICPC are not as effective now as they were under its own administrations.
He noted that under the PDP, corruption was so great that “a minister was able to steal the equivalent of the allocation of 19 northern states in four years.”
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He said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) are actually very effective now.
Obono-Obla added: “The claim by PDP is nonsensical. It is hogwash and balderdash.
“The PDP does not have any argument because since the APC government came on board, the EFCC has become so efficient.”
He added: “The PDP should shut up. The PDP was chronically and scandalously corrupt…. Up to $20bn was unaccounted for. The foreign reserves were deflated. The late President (Umaru) Yar’Adua left $48bn in the foreign reserves; all the money was deflated.
“So what is the PDP talking about? We don’t interfere, the President does not interfere and the people connected to the President do not interfere with EFCC’s activities, unlike when the agency ceased to function under the PDP government.”
On his part, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) Prof. Itse Sagay noted that PDP’s rule produced Alison-Madueke from whom looted funds are still being recovered.
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Sagay said: “I am disappointed in the PDP. If they are celebrating 19 years, they should celebrate with caution and give the nation an assurance that they would not bring such negative impact on our nation again and they have turned a new leaf.
“Yes, President Obasanjo was the one who proposed the establishment of the EFCC and the ICPC? After Nuhu Ribadu left the EFCC, what became of the EFCC? These people just neutralised these agencies and turned this country into an ATM from which they kept on withdrawing money until there was nothing left.
“So, they destroyed our economy; their greed was overwhelming. If you look at Diezani for instance, there is no day that goes by that money is not recovered from her. In Thursday’s papers, it was reported that the EFCC had recovered about half a trillion naira from these people.”
NAIJ.com reported recently that the PDP celebrated its 19th year since it was founded by listing some of its achievements and lashing at the ruling All progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 30 by Chinwe I. Nnorom, the party said it was the only reliable party in the country compared to the APC.
It said it has been able to keep Nigeria united unlike the ruling party which it claimed has done otherwise.
Watch this NAIJ.com TV video of EFCC staging a walk against corruption to sensitize Nigerians of anti-graft war
