Buhari's anti-corruption was is not selective- US Ambassador
Tue Jul 12, 2016 01:33:pm National
2.4K By Buchi Obichie
The outgoing US Ambassador to Nigeria, Jame Entwistle, has said the ongoing anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari, is not selective.
Entwistle, who stated this in an interview with select journalists in Abuja over the weekend, stated that President Buhari was doing what he said he would do.
The Ambassador said: "I don't agree (that the war is selective). I have a lot of respect for President Buhari on the corruption issue. He made it clear during the campaigns that he was going to make that his focus.
"He has done exactly what he said he would do. It's clear that he has unleashed the investigative agencies, and told them to follow evidence and information wherever it goes.
"I have followed all the things you have just mentioned; that there are prosecutions that are politically-motivated and so on.
"I have been following this, looking for either investigations or arrests that are solely politically-motivated, or only political. I haven't found any. I think there are cases where there might be a political angle to it, but there are also some real evidence to support the real case.
"That's something we follow very closely, just as you do. Narrow are the paths of investigations, making arrests, but I hope Nigerians will follow very closely in the next few years as these cases go to court.
"How they are handled in court, how the courts do their job, how the Government reacts when inevitably they would lose a case in court, what's the reaction to that. All these are things that have to be observed and handled very carefully.
"But, the premise of your question is absolutely correct. In any country, it is easy for corruption cases to begin to spin out of control. I don't see that happening here. I hope all Nigerians will follow that very closely, and if you see it, say it."
The Ambassador is set to present video evidence at the House Committee probe of 3 Lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct, on Thursday.
Entwistle, who stated this in an interview with select journalists in Abuja over the weekend, stated that President Buhari was doing what he said he would do.
The Ambassador said: "I don't agree (that the war is selective). I have a lot of respect for President Buhari on the corruption issue. He made it clear during the campaigns that he was going to make that his focus.
"He has done exactly what he said he would do. It's clear that he has unleashed the investigative agencies, and told them to follow evidence and information wherever it goes.
"I have followed all the things you have just mentioned; that there are prosecutions that are politically-motivated and so on.
"I have been following this, looking for either investigations or arrests that are solely politically-motivated, or only political. I haven't found any. I think there are cases where there might be a political angle to it, but there are also some real evidence to support the real case.
"That's something we follow very closely, just as you do. Narrow are the paths of investigations, making arrests, but I hope Nigerians will follow very closely in the next few years as these cases go to court.
"How they are handled in court, how the courts do their job, how the Government reacts when inevitably they would lose a case in court, what's the reaction to that. All these are things that have to be observed and handled very carefully.
"But, the premise of your question is absolutely correct. In any country, it is easy for corruption cases to begin to spin out of control. I don't see that happening here. I hope all Nigerians will follow that very closely, and if you see it, say it."
The Ambassador is set to present video evidence at the House Committee probe of 3 Lawmakers accused of sexual misconduct, on Thursday.
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