Posted by By Rotimi Ajayi on
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the allegations of corruption levelled at him by Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State will not go unpunished.
ABUJA - PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the allegations of corruption levelled at him by Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State will not go unpunished.
President Obasanjo at the opening of a two-day workshop on good governance and transparency in public service management said his directive to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was only the beginning of the matter.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufot Ekaette, President Obasanjo said the EFCC complete investigation of the allegations was non-negotiable.
Already, Governor Kalu has said he had no confidence in the EFCC being able to carry out unbiased investigations of his allegations. However, President Obasanjo said he would not be intimidated nor be blackmailed in his determination to confront corruption in Nigeria.
His words: 'In the spirit of transparency, I have recently submitted myself to the EFCC to investigate the allegations made against me by the governor of Abia State. This is to show that no one is immune from investigation and sanction over corruption and this is only the beginning.
'Having put our hands on the plough of change, of reform and war against corruption, it will be disastrous for us to turn back or to fail our people. In fact, it will be tragic for us as a government to overlook the urgency of the moment. If we read the temper of our people correctly, then it is fair to conclude that they are tired of corruption, waste and mismanagement," President Obasanjo said.
He added that they recognized the yearnings of Nigerians to arrest the growing decadence in Nigeria and would do everything within their powers to do so.
'Now is the time to harness the boundless energies of our people to oust the spiritual degeneration and monster of political rascality, social irresponsibility and moral decay and corruption.
'As a government, we are irrevocably committed to doing just that. We shall not be blackmailed, distracted, compromised or discouraged."
He urged the public servants to complement the efforts of his government by serving with proficiency, principle and patriotism.
He urged them to reflect in every official conduct government's character of zero tolerance for corruption.
He added that the Federal Government still had more work to do in the area of comprehensive reform of the economy, in order to build on the achievement of the administration in the last six years.
The Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), Nigerian variant of the United States National Democratic Institute, organized the workshop