The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has called on Nigerians to support the anti-graft war of President Muhammdu Buhari and not allow themselves to be distracted by agents of corruption.
Reacting to a purported interview allegedly granted by Prof. Itse Sagay SAN on Monday, Oyegun urged Nigerians to rally round Buhari in his struggle to wipe off corruption from the nation.
Oyegun, who described the interview as the “height of callous insensitivity”, accused those who had looted the country blind as being the sponsors of the concocted interview.
Professor Sagay was recently alleged to have granted an interview where he dismissed President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-graft war as “selective” and “cosmetic.” He was further said to have accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its members of corruption amongst others.
The senior advocate has since denied the interview, saying it was concocted.
Oyegun noted in the statement thus: “For the record, Mr. Sagay, a professor of law, well known constitutional lawyer and head of President Buhari’s advisory committee on anti-corruption, says the newspaper’s interview credited to him is concocted and represents a desperate attempt to discredit President Buhari’s anti-corruption war. He challenged the reporter and paper’s editors to provide the public with a tape recording of the so-called interview.
“President Buhari in his May 29 inaugural speech declared, “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”, that position remains unchanged. The syndicated and sponsored campaign suggesting a “selective” and “cosmetic” anti-corruption fight by the present administration should be seen as a plot meant to distract the citizenry from the successful ongoing war to catch looters and recover Nigeria’s stolen common wealth.
“On the allegations made by the sponsors of the concocted interview that members of the APC are corrupt, Oyegun said the burden of proof rests on the shoulders of the sponsors.
Nigerians and the international community are still reeling in shock over the looting and diversion of public funds meant to purchase badly needed arms and ammunition for Nigeria’s Armed Forces to fight insurgents and protecting the country’s territorial integrity.
“The President’s assurance that the Central Bank of Nigeria will be encouraged to publish details of voluntary return of looted funds to the Federal Government’s coffers is evidently causing panic in the camp of looters.
“Whether by planted media reports, interviews or whatever form of syndicated proxy campaign, the looters of our common wealth do not have the luxury of dictating how the present administration carries out its legitimate duty of catching looters, as long as it conforms with the rule of law.
“The looted arms purchase funds could have saved the lives of innocent Nigerians, particularly ill-equipped soldiers who became easy preys to insurgents.
“Indeed, corruption is fighting back but the will of Nigerians and the noble efforts of the present administration will prevail,“ the statement said.
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