12th September, 2012
Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, acquired wealth through corrupt means and must be probed, the Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Comrade Debo Adeniran, has alleged.
Adeniran said his organisation will not rest until Obasanjo is brought to book. He argued that with his salary as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, even 70 years in office could not have earned Obasanjo enough money to revamp his Ota farm and build The Bells University of Technology in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria.
“How did he acquire his wealth? How did he get the money to resuscitate his farm and build The Bells University?” Adeniran queried during a visit to the Corporate Headquarters of TheNEWS/P.M.NEWS on Tuesday.
The anti-corruption crusader, who first petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in 2007 against what he described as illegal and ill-gotten wealth of Obasanjo, argued that the war against corruption in Nigeria is failing.
“It is no longer news that corruption has become the fourth tier of Nigerian government, corruption has percolated most aspects of our society and there is hardly any government official that is not regaled in the toga of sleaze,” Adeniran said.
“The war against corruption is becoming fierce day in day out, the corruption fighters seem to be losing the war,” he added.
Adeniran called on the media to shun bribery and partner with civil society organisations to conquer the menace of corruption and shame its perpetrators in the society.
“We know you are the voice of the masses, and as we are also close to the grassroots, there is the need for us to partner so that we can bring about the change we desire in our dear country, Nigeria,” Adeniran said.
He called on media houses to increase journalists’ salaries and improve their working conditions.
“It’s because some journalists are not paid for months that they accept bribes,” Adeniran alleged.
—Simon Ateba