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| Bola Tinubu |
The former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Thursday while delivering keynote address at the public presentation of a book, “Making Steady, Sustainable Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity” at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The former governor also said that the previous government used the public treasury as a private hedge fund or a charity that limited its giving only to themselves.
He said, “So much money grew feet and ran away faster than Usain Bolt ever could. That which could have been spent on national development was squandered in ways that would cause the devil to blush.
“One minister and her rogues’ gallery picked the pocket of this nation for billions of dollars. While poor at governance, these people could give a master thief lessons in the sleight of hand. In governance, they earned a red card but in the corruption, they won the gold medal.
“It was not that our institutions had become infected by corruption. Corruption had become institutionalised.”
He noted that Buhari had set an axe to the root of corruption which he described as a dangerous tree.
He however admitted that the war against large-scale corruption had not been won yet.
He said it would take time and countless swings of the axe to fall such a deeply-rooted tree.
“Gone are the times when a minister can pilfer billions of dollars as easy as plucking a piece of candy from the table.
“We have much to do to combat this disease. Not only must we track down the takers. In the long term, we must review the salaries of public servants and create universal credits for our people to reduce temptation.
“We must also take greater care by placing people of character, competence and goodness into key positions. When they fail, they must be removed without remorse or favour.
“Unlike its predecessor, this government has demonstrated the will to walk this path. While this might not cause much fanfare or celebration, this cleanses the institutions upon which a nation’s wellbeing is founded with a future assured,” he added.
He said, “So much money grew feet and ran away faster than Usain Bolt ever could. That which could have been spent on national development was squandered in ways that would cause the devil to blush.
“One minister and her rogues’ gallery picked the pocket of this nation for billions of dollars. While poor at governance, these people could give a master thief lessons in the sleight of hand. In governance, they earned a red card but in the corruption, they won the gold medal.
“It was not that our institutions had become infected by corruption. Corruption had become institutionalised.”
He noted that Buhari had set an axe to the root of corruption which he described as a dangerous tree.
He however admitted that the war against large-scale corruption had not been won yet.
He said it would take time and countless swings of the axe to fall such a deeply-rooted tree.
“Gone are the times when a minister can pilfer billions of dollars as easy as plucking a piece of candy from the table.
“We have much to do to combat this disease. Not only must we track down the takers. In the long term, we must review the salaries of public servants and create universal credits for our people to reduce temptation.
“We must also take greater care by placing people of character, competence and goodness into key positions. When they fail, they must be removed without remorse or favour.
“Unlike its predecessor, this government has demonstrated the will to walk this path. While this might not cause much fanfare or celebration, this cleanses the institutions upon which a nation’s wellbeing is founded with a future assured,” he added.
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