Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, yesterday, tasked President Muhammadu Buhari not to limit his prosecution of corrupt public officials only to the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He insisted that all those indicted in the $182 million Halliburton bribery scandal in Nigeria must be prosecuted like their accomplises in Britain and USA.
He spoke just as a former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs Farida Waziri, and former Supreme Justice, Hon. Justice G. A. Oguntade, called on Nigerians to support the anti-graft war declared by President Buhari.
They spoke at the public presentation of a book, “Nigeria: The way through corruption to the well-being of a people”, authored by Dr Abdullahi Shehu, an associate Professor of Criminology at the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, in Abuja.
Nnamani said every act of corruption must be punished in order to rid the country of the menace.
He argued that limiting prosecution to those who served under President Jonathan would be inappropriate in view of the enormity of the damage corruption has done to the country.
The former Senate President said many Nigerians trooped out to vote during the last Presidential election to confer legitimacy on the government of President
Buhari, because of his campaign promise to rid the country of the evils of corruption.
According to him, “To who much is given much is also expected. One of his electoral promises was that he was going rid the country of the cankerworm of corruption but when I read in papers that his searchlight would be beamed on those that participated in Government of President Goodluck Jonathan, which if it is correct, that will be inappropriate in my view.
“Key issues that brought us international disrespect such as Halliburton scandal cannot be swept under carpet. Some people have gone to Jail in Britain and United States of America on the same matter,” he said.
Nnamani, insisted that this international case that had given Nigeria bad image should not just be glossed over no matter those that are involved.
However, former EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri, said for the anti-corruption to succeed, all Nigerians should support the efforts of the current administration of President Buhari who demonstrated political will to fight the battle.
She also called for general attitudinal change, saying corruption was not limited to looting of the public treasury.
The author of the book, Dr Abdullahi Shehu said he was inspired to write the book this time because of the urgent need to redeem the country.
He noted that corruption affects everybody even the dead and unborn and drains the resources of the nation.
Vice Chancellor of the National Open University, Prof. Vincent Ado-Tenebe said the book written by an experience author was an indication that there was hope for the future of Nigeria.
He noted that the book has drawn the attention of the nation to the need to go back to the drawing board in trying to rid the country of corruption.
He said the book has indicated clearly the need for dignity of labour, respect for culture and demonstrating integrity in whatever one does
