Jonathan’s government ”most corrupt in Nigerian history” – Senator-elect, Melaye
A former House of Representative member and a Senator-elect, Dino Melaye, has accused the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, of running the most corrupt government in the history of Nigeria.In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Melaye, who was recently elected to represent the Kogi West senatorial district, said the government of Mr. Jonathan massively promoted corruption.
“Jonathan is the promoter of corruption,” Mr. Melaye said. “I am telling you that the Government of Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan is the most corrupt in Nigerian history but (who) we have as president-elect of this country today (Muhammadu Buhari); the man I see as the nemesis of corruption.”
Mr. Melaye said when he takes office as senator, he will campaign against corruption.
“Change!” he said. “I am an advocate of anti-corruption and for me if I enter office, I am going to do it more this time around.
“More importantly, now that we have a government that is going to have zero tolerance for corruption, we must as legislators carry out our functions from any form of sacrifice.”
He explained that his call for the reduction of allowances for legislators must come to fruition if they want to bring change.
“Either at the national assembly, we will be drastically checked,” he said. “Legislators need to check if they are on the side of the people or side of their pockets.
“I started it and I have advocated this even before the elections, and during the inductions training and I said there’s an urgent need to cut down government spending from all ramifications both legislature and judiciary, and more importantly, the allowance of the national assembly.
” They must be content because you have to live a life of sacrifice. You have to come with clean hands and show some form of sacrifice to Nigerians, because for us to stand on high morale pedestal to carry out transparent legislative activities, we must show that we are the masses of this country and demonstrate change. We must act the change we preach and by the way, to start we legislators must cut down our own pay reasonably.
“If we supervise the MDAs, N3billion will not be budgeted for the travels of Mr. President in a year. Where is the president going? Is he the supervisor of the world? And at the end of the year there’s no money returned to the treasury. So these are the types of leakages that I expect legislators to come out and ameliorate this time and fight and check corruption so you cannot check it without making a sacrifice.
“We either serve or perish in destructive selfishness. Some of us have resolved to be the people and make democracy, government of the people, by the people and for the people, and not to practice as it is right now. In this government, democracy is greediocracy; government of the greedy, by the greedy and for the greedy.”