The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders has carpeted President Goodluck Jonathan for praising the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
The President, at the Government House, Yenagoa, while addressing Bayelsa State Peoples Democratic Party leaders at a caucus meeting convened by Governor Seriake Dickson, had hinted that the ex-governor was his political benefactor.
Reacting to the statement, the Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, in a statement made available to Saturday PUNCH by CACOL Media Officer, Abimbola Adegoke, derided the President for glorifying corruption.
He said, “It is sickening that the President, who should show a better example for the Nigerian populace to follow, could glorify corruption with such enthusiasm. The crop of people in the present government are so barefaced and really do not give a damn about what the people think about their actions and utterances.
“What was the President insinuating? Does it mean he benefited from his so-called benefactor's proceeds from corruption? When we are encouraging Nigerians to shun corrupt persons anywhere, the President seems to be enjoying the company of the perpetrators of the evil act.
“Show me your friend, they say, and I will tell you the kind of person you are. Instead of making the ex-governor to face the consequences of the crimes he committed when he was in power by further investigating and prosecuting him, President Jonathan is wining and dining with him.
“We just hope this is not payback time for the President to return Alamieyeseigha's seized property and even give him more to compensate for the good he (Jonathan) claimed he (Alamieyeseigha) had done for him.”
The coalition urged the Federal Government to relieve the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido, of his job for allowing N2.1bn to disappear without any trace from the vaults of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company last week.
“Mallam Sanusi and the management of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company should be sacked and prosecuted for allowing such rapacious corruption to take place under their nose,” he said.
