The Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday said he was not surprised by the current travails of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in the United Kingdom given that the nation’s economy had been badly managed over the years.
He said, “For me, I don’t think anybody should be surprised (about Alison-Madueke’s trial in the UK) because even the most favourable commentator on the Nigerian condition, the economy, the polity and the society, agrees that our economy was badly mismanaged over the years. I have not seen one commentator that disagrees.
“Even when they talk about rebasing, and
so what? Have you rebased the level of poverty? Have you rebased
prosperity? Have you rebased unemployment? Have you rebased
homelessness? Have you rebased hunger?
“So, I have not seen anyone that says
Nigerian people are doing better. This was never my issue. I was only a
spokesman for the National Economic Council.
“But in this country, when you speak
out, all the arrows would be fashioned to attack you. But one of the
things I learnt in life at the age of 17 when I got into the leadership
of labour is that the truth does not require supporters’ club. It can
stand on its feet any day. You can hit it. You can kick it. You can bomb
it, but you can’t destroy it.”
Oshiomhole said the truth had been that a lot of money was stolen under Jonathan’s watch.
He said the ongoing travails of Alison-Madueke could only be described as a tip of the iceberg.
When asked if the Federal Government had a hand in the former minister’s ordeal, Oshiomhole said, “It is not about who has a hand in what. I think it’s about law and order. In other climes, institutions do their work. They are not at the beck and call of the political authority. They have their mandate and the law specifies this and it is scrupulously followed.”
source: punchng.com
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