By Iyiola Olalere
The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has asked former Governor Yahaya Bello to heed the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi and submit himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the courts of law to clear himself of allegations of financial malfeasance while in office.
This, according to the group, is because the commission has not, in any way, erred but doing its lawful job by asking the former Kogi State’s Governor to appear before it for questioning.
The group explained that EFCC is mandated by law to scrutinise and enforce accountability of persons in government positions, which is also in line with the anti-corruption policy of the President Bola Tinubu administration
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, TMSG described the stand-off between the former Governor and the EFCC as unnecessary, saying it is an affront on the sanctity of the law and the integrity of the President’s war against corruption.
“We have carefully watched all the drama and subterfuge that continue to trail the invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to Governor Yahaya Bello, a senior member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the curious attempts to politicize the routine matter of the request by the graft fighting agency to ask former Governor Bello to meet with its investigators.
“For us, the intervention of the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, asking the former Kogi governor to subject himself to EFCC’s scrutiny is a clear signal in this regard, not only on the position of law, but also on the stance of the President Bola Tinubu administration on anti- corruption.
“It should be clear by now to all Nigerians that strict accountability in governance occupies a cardinal place in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. To serve this purpose, his government has shown zero tolerance to cases of corruption since assuming office.
“So the EFCC, by inviting the former governor Yahaya Bello, like it did with past and previous officials of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the immediate past Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, is in tandem with its policy and character to nurture a culture of probity and accountability in governance.
“As a staunch member of our Party, we believe that Yahaya Bello has no reason to fear. It is a process that is not predetermined. We urge him to heed the advice of the Attorney General and make himself available to EFCC’s investigators as required by extant laws.
“We also advise members of the ruling party who have been up in arms against the anti- graft agency to be circumspect in their reaction to the issue.
“We see their anti-EFCC stance as a wrong signal and wonder what their response would be if opposition elements decided to constitute obstruction to invitation by the anti graft agency to former public officials who are not APC members.
“For us, Yahaya Bello owes it a duty to the state and the people he governed, if not to himself, to give account in line with our laws, and global best practices; it should not be seen as a witch hunt.
“So rather than running from the law, this is a unique opportunity for Bello to face it with a view to preserving his integrity and honour which may qualify him for higher national responsibilities in the future.” The statement added.
TMSG also urged the EFCC not to be deterred in its efforts at enthroning sanity, probity, and accountability in governance at all levels in the country.
*END*
[4/28, 1:09 PM] Mohammed Momoh: *PDP not in a position to advise President Tinubu on governance-The Democratic Front*
*PDP should stop dabbling into what they do not know – The Democratic Front*
A pro-democracy group,The Democratic Front (TDF) has said that the People’s Democratic Party PDP can not arrogate to itself to deliver on the nation’s economy having plunged it into ruins for good sixteen years.
“Imagine a political party that failed woefully and landed the country in its present parlous economic state now pontificating on efforts to revitalize the national economy as if they ever had any clue.
“Rather than bury their heads in shame because of the roles the former ruling party played in bringing the country to its knees, they are busy pontificating on the bold initiatives and reforms being initiated by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman Danjuma Mohammed and Secretary Wale Adedayo while reacting to the communique issued by PDP at the end of it National Executive Committee meeting, the TDF argued that the country has still not recovered from the mindless plundering of the economy in the PDP years.
it said: “The position of the PDP calls for outright condemnation and repudiation by every well-meaning Nigerian. If the party’s NEC had limited itself to its desperate but unrealistic bid to unify the dilapidating structures of a deeply divided political party, which the PDP has become, that communique would have attracted better attention.
“The absurdity and the manner the NEC members exhibited pretentious insensitivity to the tragic consequences of their Party’s 16 years of misrule resonates the role PDP played to hinder the growth and development of the Nigerian state.
“A political party which plundered Nigeria’s hard earned resources and brutally squandered its national patrimony for those lenghty years is expected to display remorse and responsibility on matters of economic revitalization and statecraft.
“Who will easily forget the ring-fencing of hundreds of state-owned companies and investments through an opaque privatization process, the massive diversion of oil revenue into private foreign bank accounts as well as the unconscionable sale and concession of the Nigeria power sector to unqualified and incompetent proxy companies.
“How about the loss of public funds under an alleged doubtful and dubious petrol subsidy regime, the deliberate neglect and abandonment of public infrastructure in the face of huge revenue earnings and allocations, and the flagrant disregard for the ethics of social democracy and the rule of law under the direct supervision of three PDP administrations? All these brought the nation down on its knees and unleashed poverty and economic misery on Nigerians.
“This litany of PDP’s failures and unprecedented maladministration will remain evergreen in our collective memory as a people. So it is egregiously ridiculous that PDP NEC members will cast aspersions on President Bola Tinubu highly performing economic team and asked him to reverse his impressively successful economic policies.
The group also used the opportunity to provide some insight into the gains of the Tinubu administration in the last few months.
“In less than a year of inception, the President’s economic team has pushed through policies that have led to increased revenue accruals into the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), better economic outlook and increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projection, a more stable naira against other currencies, increased foreign exchange inflows into the country.
“The prevailing security situation in the country is a testimony of how well the President has performed in ensuring the security of lives and properties since he came to power. The safe rescue of 137 school children that were kidnapped at Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State without payment of ransom, and the decline in the rate of insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings on the highways, particularly in the north, further showcases the outstanding achievements of President Bola Tinubu in the area of national security.
“We therefore urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his economic team to remain focused and refused to be distracted by the PDP shenanigans.
Only the ongoing task of laying the solid foundation for genuine economic growth and political stability in Nigeria is worth your attention,” it added.
End
