Jonathan Hindering Buhari's Anti-Corruption War - Coalition

Nigeria’s civil society groups accused Goodluck Jonathan, the former president, of moves directed towards frustrating Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

The coalition of groups made the allegation on Tuesday, August 25, during an interactive session held in Lagos, Premium Times reports.

The body lamented that Jonathan had been pushing for the current government to begin an anti-graft probe from Nigeria’s independence and encompass all former federal, regional, and state governments. The coalition characterized such an approach as a “do-nothing agenda”.

The activists’ joint statement delivered by the chairman of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Olanrewaju Suraju, read:

“Our response to this demand and opinion, unfortunately being led by former president Jonathan, is that it is a recipe for a do-nothing agenda against corruption.

“A serious nation must start corruption fight from somewhere concretely. Instead of running after dead leaders’ record of service, a serious government must commence its probe with the‎ records of service of its immediate predecessor and in the course of this: findings from such probe may ultimately lead to further probes of other previous administrations.

“That is common sense. Meanwhile, there are ongoing cases of corruption that cannot be side-tracked, like the Halliburton probe, by the current government…

“It is expected that many powerful rogues who have had their hands, beards, robes and names soiled or perceived to be tainted will obviously feel the intensity of the anti-corruption war and definitely fight back by all legitimate and illegitimate means possible under any subterfuge in order to frustrate the ethical revolution to sanitize governance in Nigeria.”

One of the most widely discussed of recent issues is President Buhari’s planned probe of the previous Jonathan administration.

Buhari’ special adviser on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, noted on Sunday, August 23, that nobody is under investigation yet, adding that investigations had started regarding the compliance of some procedures with the law.