ACN slams PDP for celebrating Bode George’s release


Written by Adewale Ajayi

Monday, 28 February 2011

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for celebrating shame and corruption by rolling out the drums to welcome Chief Bode George, who was jailed for corruption.

The party in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the PDP’s action sent a wrong signal to Nigerian youths that it was alright to steal or mismanage public funds, since it could even turn them into a ‘hero’ like Bode George.

“There is nothing wrong in rehabilitating a prisoner. But turning an occasion that calls for penitence and soberness to a carnival of sorts is a disservice to Nigeria, and a clear signal that the wobbly anti-corruption war of the Goodluck Jonathan administration is finally dead. It also ridicules Nigeria in the eyes of the world,” ACN said.

The party stated that for the avoidance of doubt, Bode George was jailed for stealing money meant for port management and development, not for his political belief even though some clowns were now comparing him to Chief Obafemi Awolowo or Nelson Mandela.

“Let us remind Nigerians that partly because of Bode George’s grand larceny, it now takes five times the number of time it should take to clear a container; while the Apapa port can hardly handle some ocean-growing vessels bringing in imported fuel, thus heightening the possibility of fuel scarcity.

“This is the man for whom a party (PDP) seeking the votes of Nigerians in April’s general election pulled all the stops to give a hero’s welcome from Kirikiri Maximum Prison.”

This is the man whom serving ministers of a government that is supposed to be fighting corruption besieged Lagos to welcome. This is the man for whom the president’s campaign coordinator for the South-west, Governor Gbenga Daniel - apparently standing in for his boss - turned up in Lagos with fanfare to receive. Nowhere in the world is this kind of action possible, except in Nigeria. And no party is capable of this theatre of the absurd except the PDP,” the party said.

ACN said the only ray of hope in all the misplaced celebration of George’s release was the courageous admonition of the priest who presided at the thanksgiving church service for the freed prisoner.

“Point blank, this priest condemned the political rally atmosphere and the non-stop drumming right in the church premises,reminded the exuberant politicians and their supporters that they were in the presence of God and condemned the loss of moral values that made this possible.

“Then he advised Bode George to be penitent and sober, eschew arrogance and avoid being party to any shady deal or election rigging. Reminding the ‘celebrant’ that not even political, economic or military power which he possessed could prevent him from going to jail, the priest, who said he was in secondary school when Bode George was the military governor of his (Pastor’s) home state of Ondo, told him that real power belongs only to God,’’ the party said.

ACN expressed the hope that George and his backers in high places who today believed they had the licence to inflict untold hardship on hapless Nigerians through bad governance would learn from the admonition of that young but superbly courageous pastor.

In the meantime, the party said Nigerians should send a clear message to the PDP - through their votes in April - that today’s Nigeria wouold not have a place for a party that celebrates grand larceny, corruption, greed and wastage of public funds.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/18148-acn-slams-pdp-for-celebrating-bode-georges-release

Why is Tinubu roaming around like a free man if Ibori is hounded up and down? Tinubu must have been a saint in the Lagos government house for 8 years? Is Ribadu, who vowed to prosecute him and called him a thief of international proportions, is he not now romancing with the same Tinubu?