Apologize to Nigerians for ruining the economy, VON DG tells Jonathan
The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has lampooned former President Goodluck Jonathan over his comments on leadership, saying that he should apologise to Nigerians for failing “woefully” during his time in office.
Jonathan had claimed at the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that “though we didn’t completely plug the loopholes in the fight against corruption, we did well”.
The VON boss said this in Abuja on Sunday while reacting to Jonathan’s comments on the performance of his administration.
Okechukwu also faulted the former president on his claims, saying that he widened the loopholes of corruption rather than tackling it.
According to Okechukwu, he regrets demonstrating in the streets of Abuja streets in 2010 alongside members of the Save Nigeria Group for Jonathan to be made president.
He said, “My own sincere assessment is that our dear ex-president rather than plugged loopholes of corruption, opened it wide. He should apologize to Nigerians whom he betrayed for being less than transparent.
“I was outraged when I heard him proclaim that the PDP will return to power in 2019 because of the hunger and poverty ravaging the country.”
Okechukwu also stated that with the huge oil revenue under Jonathan’s regime, he had a good chance of fixing the Niger Delta but he claimed that the ex-president did not accomplish the task.
He said the former president relied on “voodoo” economic records, adding that the nation’s economy “could have collapsed” but for the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “Going by the financial records, the ex-president and his party railroaded Nigerians into abject poverty, food insecurity and deficit infrastructure through lanlessness and squandermania.
“He (Jonathan) propelled his preferred minister, Mrs Deziani Alison Madueke and other cronies to loot dry our dear countrymen.
“Later day revelations are showing how $80 million was used by Mrs Madueke’s ally to purchase a luxury yacht, money which could have been utilized to build the best hospital in Yenogoa.
“Or is he not reminding us of the humongous foreign exchange used in buying choice estates locally and abroad?
“In sum, the biggest headache of Buhari administration is the huge local and foreign debt amassed by the PDP’s 16 years misrule.
“On bail-out fund and Paris Fund refund, Buhari has spent over N1trillion on salary and pension arrears. He has also paid over $7 billion on obligations to international oil companies (IOC) with the little he got.”
Mathew Dadiya, Abuja
