The allegation by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, that President Jonathan does not indicate any willingness to fight corruption has been described as wild and a futile attempt to divert attention from the corrupt activities in the House.
A group, the New Vision Organisation, in a statement yesterday, said Tambuwal was out to perform a hatchet job of discrediting the Jonathan administration.
It added that in making such an allegation lacking in substance, he seemed to have forgotten his own antecedents in his hurry to play to the gallery.
The statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Mohammed Abdulazeez, said the Speaker’s reference to the President, who has displayed an uncommon will in fighting corruption in Nigeria, was clearly uncharitable.
He said: “It is obvious that Tambuwal was trying to divert attention from his several misdemeanors.”
Tambuwal spoke at an event organised by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to mark the 2013 International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja.
Abdulazeez said Nigerians have not forgotten the Speaker’s sordid roles in the 6th House of Representative led by Dimeji Bankole, for which the former Speaker is still facing criminal prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He added that Tambuwal might be right in saying that EFCC has not been doing enough to fight corruption otherwise he would not have been free to insult the sensibilities of Nigerians with his holier than thou allegations.
The group asked Tambuwal to justify the continued secrecy surrounding the salaries and emoluments of members of the House.
According to the group, “Although the Senate has tried a minimum disclosure on this matter, it is on record that Tambuwal’s House has not been forthcoming! To make matters worse, Tambuwal has refused to disclose, even to his colleagues in the House, how he applies the huge budgetary provision to his office.”
The group accused Tamabuwal of shielding Hon. Farouk Lawan, who was in the centre of the House oil probe scandal, and suggested he might have benefitted from the Femi Otedola loot from the oil subsidy probe.
It advised him to follow the footsteps of his political godfather, Governor Aliyu Wammakko and honourably negotiate his entry into All Progressives Congress (APC) with decorum instead of the descent to blackmail.
“He should not bring down the PDP roof before departing; so his broadsides against the President are most unfortunate,” the group declared.
