Jonathan made corruption attractive, says Niyi Osundare

MAY 18, 2015 : TOLUWANI ENIOLA

Renowned poet, Prof. Niyi Osundare, on Sunday berated the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, saying the President gave “corruption a well furnished chair in his dining room.”

He spoke during the annual Distinguished Alumni Lecture of the Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, Alumni Association, in Lagos.

Osundare, who spoke on the topic, “No more business as usual: Nigeria’s new-found change and the lessons from the past,” described the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government as a nightmare to the nation.

He said if the PDP had won the March 28 presidential election, the country would have headed for “the purgatory of desolation.”

The poet carpeted the outgoing administration for promoting impunity and weakening the economy.

He said it was unfortunate that a former Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, who was indicted for the N255m bulletproof car scandal could be elected as a senator.

According to him, the outgoing government made evil deeds attractive by not punishing government officials indicted for corruption.

He said, “We have a President who saw no difference between right or wrong. Here is a President who saw no difference between stealing and corruption. The PDP offered transformation without change, motion without movement. The President made evil deed attractive. People commit crimes and get away with it. As long as you belong to the President’s party or you know his wife, you are safe. A criminal runs to Aso Rock for being called a thief and the President shuts the gate and say, be not afraid.”

Osundare urged the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to deliver on his campaign promises.

He said the US President, Barack Obama, refused to visit Nigeria because the country was not leading by example.

The poet also urged Nigerians to hold the new government accountable, warning that if the APC failed to perform, Nigerians should vote the party out.

“Rather than be the giant of Africa, Nigeria has become a gigantic embarrassment,” he said.

Advising the Buhari government, he said, “We demand drastic reduction in the remuneration of public officials. Government should no longer be a ‘chop chop bonanza.’ This outrageous expenditure of the government is destroying the economy and depleting our moral capital.

“We must break the jinx of erratic electricity. Let us try a knowledge-driven economy. The new government should surround itself with people who are not afraid to ask questions. If leaders steal less and think more, there will be change.”

Dignitaries at the occasion include a former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Prof. Itse Sagay, and Femi Falana.

Goddex:
All these APC propagandists sha

Goddex:
Forget about all these people shouting corruption, corruption without proof.

Today, one riff-raff wakes up and allege about a certain billion or trillion missing. So, the only case the Prof could point to is the 225m Oduah case but he has forgotten Fashola's two bullet-proof range rovers actually cost more. He will not talk about those ones.

Nigeria's corruption ranking actually improved under Jonathan according to the last Transparency International ranking. I will rather beleive Transparency International who are experts in assesing corruption than all these APC apologists shouting corruption corruption about

Goddex:
All these APC propagandists sha

Goddex:
All these APC propagandists sha

3ace:
How much did Stella stole? Money that is not enough to buy a mansion in Maitama.

Rawani:
If only the corruption could make him attractive as well. Jonathan legitimized corruption and shielded convicted thieves, to the detriment of his region that can now only boast of looters, bunkerers, militants and thugs as their political and economic leaders. So clueless was he that SS youths are now begging to have a project sited in Lagos by Lagosians relocated to Bayelsa, underlining the educational deprivation that ensured that they failed to acknowledge the logistical and operational unfeasiblity of such a move in their entire diatribe.

eaglechild:
All these attention seekers from irrelevant universities.

Goddex:
All these APC propagandists sha