PDP to Tinubu: You Can’t Fight Corruption 

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the comments by the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he will fight corruption on assumption of office as scandalous and ridiculous, alleging that he is corruption personified and therefore cannot fight corruption or speak for Nigerians on corruption.

The party was reacting to recent claims by Tinubu last Thursday at the inauguration of some projects in Rivers State, that he will fight corruption in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said that the comments by President-elect is completely sacrilegious and an assault on the sensibility of Nigerians having been described variously as an “embodiment of corruption in his public life”.

According to PDP, “It is in the public domain that as governor of Lagos State, Senator Tinubu promoted and institutionalised corruption as an act of governance. It is on record that Senator Tinubu is alleged to be deeply involved in the infamous cases involving Alpha Beta Consulting Limited and Alpha Beta LLP, allegedly owned and controlled by him and through which over N100 billion belonging to Lagos State was reportedly stolen through shady tax collection deals. 

“It is also public knowledge that there has been numerous allegations and evidence of corruption and complicity by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the declaration of Senator Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election. Today Nigerians and indeed the world believe that that declaration was a product of corruption of the process, institutions and the law by the APC and its presidential candidate. 

“It is therefore ludicrous that an individual who has been widely alleged to be an enabler and beneficiary of corruption can attempt to put himself forward to Nigerians as a champion of anti-corruption. Of course, corruption cannot fight corruption!”, the PDP spokesman stated.

He continued, “If indeed Senator Tinubu is desirous of fighting corruption, the starting point should be that he publicly and personally address Nigerians on the numerous allegations of corruption, including the Alpha Beta cases and alleged improper acquisition and conversion of Lagos State Government landed properties worth billions of naira to himself, family, associates and cronies.

“Clearly, Senator Tinubu’s pontification or claims on corruption is a further attempt to corrupt, cultivate, patronise, lure and compromise the judiciary ahead of the commencement of the hearing of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Monday, May 8, 2023 and nothing more.”

The PDP, therefore, called on the judiciary to be wary of attempts by the APC and its presidential candidate to patronise them in the course of the discharge of their constitutional duties as impartial arbiter, particularly in the pending petitions before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The party expressed worries on the Nigeria military warning against plot to scuttle the inauguration of Tinubu on May 29, saying that democracy which ought to be a celebration of the people has turned a source of concern because the will of the people were not respected in the February 25 presidential election.

Ologunagba explained that the military is worried because the presidential election does not reflect the will of the Nigerian people as it was massively rigged.

“Democracy should be celebrated and the people looking forward to the new horizon. But what do you find is that the military is worried because the election has been badly managed by INEC,” he stressed. 

PDP to Tinubu: You Can’t Fight Corruption 

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the comments by the President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he will fight corruption on assumption of office as scandalous and ridiculous, alleging that he is corruption personified and therefore cannot fight corruption or speak for Nigerians on corruption.

The party was reacting to recent claims by Tinubu last Thursday at the inauguration of some projects in Rivers State, that he will fight corruption in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said that the comments by President-elect is completely sacrilegious and an assault on the sensibility of Nigerians having been described variously as an “embodiment of corruption in his public life”.

According to PDP, “It is in the public domain that as governor of Lagos State, Senator Tinubu promoted and institutionalised corruption as an act of governance. It is on record that Senator Tinubu is alleged to be deeply involved in the infamous cases involving Alpha Beta Consulting Limited and Alpha Beta LLP, allegedly owned and controlled by him and through which over N100 billion belonging to Lagos State was reportedly stolen through shady tax collection deals. 

“It is also public knowledge that there has been numerous allegations and evidence of corruption and complicity by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the declaration of Senator Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election. Today Nigerians and indeed the world believe that that declaration was a product of corruption of the process, institutions and the law by the APC and its presidential candidate. 

“It is therefore ludicrous that an individual who has been widely alleged to be an enabler and beneficiary of corruption can attempt to put himself forward to Nigerians as a champion of anti-corruption. Of course, corruption cannot fight corruption!”, the PDP spokesman stated.

He continued, “If indeed Senator Tinubu is desirous of fighting corruption, the starting point should be that he publicly and personally address Nigerians on the numerous allegations of corruption, including the Alpha Beta cases and alleged improper acquisition and conversion of Lagos State Government landed properties worth billions of naira to himself, family, associates and cronies.

“Clearly, Senator Tinubu’s pontification or claims on corruption is a further attempt to corrupt, cultivate, patronise, lure and compromise the judiciary ahead of the commencement of the hearing of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal on Monday, May 8, 2023 and nothing more.”

The PDP, therefore, called on the judiciary to be wary of attempts by the APC and its presidential candidate to patronise them in the course of the discharge of their constitutional duties as impartial arbiter, particularly in the pending petitions before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The party expressed worries on the Nigeria military warning against plot to scuttle the inauguration of Tinubu on May 29, saying that democracy which ought to be a celebration of the people has turned a source of concern because the will of the people were not respected in the February 25 presidential election.

Ologunagba explained that the military is worried because the presidential election does not reflect the will of the Nigerian people as it was massively rigged.

“Democracy should be celebrated and the people looking forward to the new horizon. But what do you find is that the military is worried because the election has been badly managed by INEC,” he stressed.