Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has again taken a swipe on President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of institutionalising corruption in the country and also describing him as civilian dictator.
The is even as a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the continued existence of Nigeria as a united and indivisible nation would be determined largely by the 2015 general election.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal also said politicians decamp to other parties because party officials had proven themselves incapable of running a fair contest.
Speaking at the second Peoples Media Limited Conference in Abuja, with the theme: “Nigeria: the 2015 question,” Amaechi, who was represented by his Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said corruption was not a repository of the military regime alone.
“The politicians are also experts at it. The progress made in fighting corruption began to erode under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. His short-lived regime cannot be assessed in this wise. In the present regime of President Goodluck Jonathan, corruption appears to have been institutionalised.
“A whopping sum of $20billion is alleged to have been missing. The stories of both fuel and kerosene subsidy are not anything to behold. It smears of corruption and rottenness.
“The aviation bulletproof cars saga remains unresolved. The Shell-Malabu story is a macabre dance. The response of the regime to corruption is to imprison those exposing corruption.
“The impunity in corruption is extended to the punishment of those who fight corruption. The removal of the Governor of Central Bank is unconstitutional. The constitution means nothing to the current government. What we see is the re-emergence of civilian dictatorship, but enough about corruption,” Amaechi said.
Abdusalami said, “As political animals that we are, nothing seems to have gripped our imagination of Nigerians as the issue of the coming 2015 general elections, which in my view is a watershed moment in the history of our dear country.
“The way we are able to handle this very important event will largely determine how successful we will be in our efforts at remaining a united, indivisible and stable country.
He said that the unfolding scenario might portend danger “to our nation if Nigerians from all parts of the country do not close ranks and put the interest of the nation first.
The sad and tragic experience of the 2011 post election violence is a reminder that election matters have become serious business that must be handled with the utmost seriousness and patriotism in order to avoid a repeat.”
Speaking at the same event, Tambuwal on his part, said the twin problem of tribalism and nepotism “have become such a critical part of our policy and politics that people often feel that they will not be reckoned with unless their candidate, their tribesman or woman, or their party win.”
He noted that more often than not, “people are forced to abandon the political parties they have laboured for, not because they want to, but because party officials have proven themselves incapable of running a fair contest.
“Yes, 2015 is indeed pregnant. But it is in our hands if we want it to deliver a bright future or a foetus of aborted hopes and dreams. If they decide to conduct fair and free elections, if the scales are not rigged, then the hope that 2015 will usher in a more peaceful and progressive year is not in doubt,” Tambuwal said.
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