Former speaker said the
former president lacked the moral integrity to describe the National Assembly
member as corrupt individuals.
The former Speaker of the
House Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’aba, has said that former President,
Olusegun Obasanjo remains the most corrupt Nigerian leader.
He added that Obasanjo had
no moral right to criticize anyone assumed to be corrupt.
“I don’t think there is
anybody more corrupt in this country like the former President. As the Speaker,
I took Obasanjo on several issues of expenditure offences which he committed
and could not show remorse.
“So, I don’t think he has
the integrity to call anybody in the NASS corrupt. This is the man who became
President with nothing and today he is one of the richest Nigerians, let him
explain to Nigerians how he acquired the money.
”On his planned tenure
elongation, I am aware that some monies was given to the national assembly
members both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“It was alleged that the
Senators got 50 million each while 40 million was given to the House of
Representatives members, some collected and some did not collect. But I am
aware that money was distributed by Obasanjo,” he stated.
On the alleged padding,
Na’abba said he expected that for 16 years of return to democracy, Nigerians
would have understood the responsibilities of the National Assembly.
“For some weeks now, there
has been controversy over what is called padding. As far as I am concerned, the
National Assembly has the responsibility to pass the budget, approve it and
allow the executive arm to execute it.
“According to my
understanding, where the issue being referred to as padding comes into play is
a situation where some members go behind and add items of expenditure to what
has already been agreed upon, for either stealing the funds or doing whatever
they feel like doing with it.
“But, this stealing of fund
cannot be possible without the active connivance with some members of the
executive arm.
“So far, accusations are
being traded amongst members of the House. No investigation has been conducted.
“On the call for the
resignation of the Speaker, the question is, what has the Speaker done to
warrant his resignation?” He queried.
On whether padding was an
offence, he said, “It all depends from what angle you look at it, I just told
you that the responsibility of appropriation belongs to the national assembly.
“If padding is seen as an
offence, it is when some members of the National Assembly decide to add items
of expenditure through the back door after the budget has been passed by both
houses. It, therefore, behoves on Nigerians to decide who represents them in
the national assembly”.
Daily Post
True that man obas is corrupt beyond corrupt
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