More reactions and vituperation have continued to trail former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to the leaderships of the two chambers of the National Assembly where he accused the lawmakers of being neck-deep in corruption.
The House, through its spokesman, Abdulrasak Namdas, said that the allegation was probably for the fourth and fifth National Assembly during the administration of President Obasanjo.
Namdas, who is Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs said that the House will not be distracted by any letter or allegation as its main concern now was to ensure the passage of the 2016 budget.
Rep Chike Okafor, APC, Imo, told Sunday Vanguard that the former president’s letter was an expression of his lost bid to extend his tenure about ten years ago and that the former president appeared not to have forgiven you the National Assembly for cutting his aspiration short.
“It becomes worrisome when a former president, a two-term president and an elder statesman who also wanted to use the National Assembly to perpetuate himself in office for third term, to cast aspersions of the legislature.
“So, I can understand where the voice of frustration is coming from because it is this same National Assembly that truncated his attempt to smuggle in from the back door a third term bid, so maybe he hasn’t forgiven the National Assembly.
Also reacting, Rep Philip Shaibu, Etsako Federal Constituency, Edo State, APC, said he was not sure that such allegation came from a former president and an elder statesman
Shaibu wondered why former President Obasanjo did not make the allegation when he was in charge, and advised him not to be casting unsubstantiated allegations.
In the same vein, Rep Nnanna Igbokwe, Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency, Imo Stat,e and Rep Jarigbe Agon Jarigbe, Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency, Cross River State, both of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faulted the claim that every allowances including the car loans for the National Assembly had been monetised.
Obasanjo can’t exonerate himself from corruption, says Kaka
Senator Adegbenga Kaka, has also asked Obasanjo to come clean first before attacking others, urging him to desist from unwarranted assault on the legislature.
Speaking in Ijebu-Igbo shortly after the inauguration and handing over of some projects he facilitated to his constituency, Kaka said, “What is happening is the executive is sitting on nearly 90 percent of the nation’s resources. From the President to the National Security Adviser to the ministers to the heads of agencies, executive directors and all of them, what have they been doing with the money?
“We’ve been having oil jackpot, the crude oil price rising from $9 per barrel in 1999 to $147 per barrel in 2006/2007 and yet all that should be done were not done. From electricity to roads to waterways, we neglected everything. So, for somebody to come out and be pointing accusing fingers, they should first of all examine themselves.
“They should come out clean first before attacking others. I’m not saying the National Assembly is not corrupt but nobody should attempt to exonerate himself. Some people were even corrupt against themselves and against their family and against their children and grand children. They should go and examine themselves.”
Kaka, who handed over blocks of classrooms at Ansar-ud-Deen High School, Isiwo, Ijebu-Ode and Japara High School, Ijebu-Igbo as well as a primary healthcare centre for the use of various communities, restated his commitment to the completion of some uncompleted projects that he facilitated.
