Presidential Pardon Embarrassing to Anti-corruption Agencies, Says Wike

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said the presidential pardon recently granted by the Council of States to persons that had been prosecuted for corruption was an embarrassment on the anti-corruption agencies in the country.

Wike also wondered how the likes of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) would not be made irrelevant because of the action by the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government.

 A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kelvin Ebiri, revealed that the governor made the statement yesterday, while speaking to delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, as part of his ongoing consultation ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

“This is the same government that complained against the judiciary that it is not fighting corruption. Now, look at what the judges have passed through; sleepless nights from the FCT High Court to the Court of Appeal to Supreme Court, everything is wasted.

“If President  Muhammadu  Buhari knows that he doesn’t want to fight corruption, then, he should disband EFCC and ICPC because he has thoroughly embarrassed them.

“So, all these things he (Buhari) is doing is because of the elections coming soon. They want this person in Plateau State to help them and they want this person in Taraba State to help them. But it will not work because Wike will face them in that election.”

Wike dismissed the defence by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Buhari, Malam Garba Shehu on why the pardon should not be faulted.

The Rivers State Governor said it should be a thing to worry about, saying the same people who said they were fighting corruption went through the back door to release the same people that they said were corrupt.

“So, when his press man (Garba Shehu)said I was invited to the Council of State, is it because I’m not there, that is why they did what they did?

“If you wanted me to contribute, you would have sent me the agenda. Then, I would have known what I’m coming to do in the meeting.

“It’s not when you don’t send me an agenda, I come, then you boxed us in, ambushed us, then you said I attended the meeting where they approved it. I will not attend such a meeting,” he stressed.

Wike also explained that, “When they said my deputy attended and when they looked back they could not see my deputy again. Why would you see her?

“When she had seen what was there, she had to switch off because she knew it was a wayo. That is what this APC government is known for.”

The governor told the delegates that it was time for Nigerians to brace up to correct what he said were the mistakes that brought the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to power.

Wike said he was offering himself as the most competent aspirant seeking their votes at the presidential primaries to fly the flag of the PDP.

He noted that it would require a man like him to end insecurity and poverty that are seen everywhere in Nigeria.

The Kano State Chairman of the PDP, Shehu Wada Sagagi, assured Wike of the delegates’ support because they believed that the next presidential flag bearer of the party must come from the southern part of the country.

“We know as a matter of principle, and all of us here agree that the presidency should move to the South. That is a fair deal, because when in 2019 the presidency was zoned to the north, no southern aspirant emerged to say that he will contest, unlike what is happening now. But I am sure with the way you are going, you will defeat all those evil forces that are planning evil against you,” he was quoted to have said.

Sagagi said Kano delegates would not be swayed by ethno-religious sentiment. He declared that they would support Wike based on his proven competency, capacity and ability to move the country forward.

The PDP chairman lamented the inability of the federal government to tackle lingering  insecurity in the country and the mismanagement of the Nigerian economy.

According to him, for the first time in history Nigeria entered recession twice within a decade under the APC.