President Goodluck Jonathan claimed he knows people in the public and private sectors who are corrupt but he said he won't expose them so they will not attack him. In the same breath, he blamed ordinary Nigerians for the increasing spate of corruption in the country.
Nigerians have replied President Jonathan, saying he granted pardon to big thieves like his brother, Diepreye Alamieseigha and others. They also accused Jonathan of:
Failing to lead by example and openly romancing highly corrupt men, including those who are standing trial in courts for stealing of billions of Naira. Some of those who disapproved of President Jonathan’s statement said he goofed by casting the first stone.
Yemy, a respondent on Punch site, said “No doubt that President Goodluck Jonathan is spot on. However, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. GEJ seems to me a bad advertisement of the product he wants to sell. How would you describe the pardon granted Alamieyeseigha? Is that not rewarding corruption?”
A Facebook user, Prince Oyelola Timothy-Adesanya, argued that since the President inadvertently gave a pass mark to his former boss, who was convicted for corruption by a competent court, he was not morally fit to lecture other Nigerians on the need to shun corrupt individuals.
“Hello Mr. President, it seems you don’t know who stands on the wheel chair of corruption. The case study is Alamieyeseigha and the public fund of Bayelsa State. Don’t forget your office gave him a pass mark for the wrong doing? Oga Jonathan, who is deceiving who?” Timothy-Adesanya said.
Another respondent on Nairaland, Batman, noted that since the President encouraged corruption through his actions, he was not in a vantage position to cry foul.
Batman wrote, “He (Jonathan) encourages corruption. So what do you expect everyone under him to do? Why is he the leader? Doesn’t he know he is the number one person that should serve as an example? A body always goes where the head tells it to go.
“The moment he (Jonathan) stops waving and smiling sheepishly and takes a tough stance against corruption in high places, see if the chain reaction won’t transmit to the grassroots.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan was also rebuked for stating that he would not reveal the identities of those engaged in corrupt practices in both the private and public sectors citing concerns that he could be “attacked.”
The statement was described by many people as the President’s own way of admitting that he is afraid of fighting corruption.
They hinged their argument on the fact that since he has the state apparatus at his disposal, he should not hesitate to wield such powers rather than express the fear of being “attacked.”
“If you can’t mention their names and punish them, then you are encouraging them with a pat on the back," a Nigerian, Okafor Nolly, said on Facebook.
One Abiodun Johnson also noted, “He doesn’t have to name names. He could easily arrest and prosecute them. But he is afraid of being attacked! Nigeria is in trouble."
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