Jonathan will win battle on corruption; ACN more corrupt than us- PDP

The ruling party said it has played a major role in fighting corruption

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said President Goodluck Jonathan will win the battle on corruption with the “bold institutional framework” being put in place by the Federal Government.

The ruling party also accused the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, of harbouring more corrupt individuals than the PDP.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, Tuesday, said the Party is optimistic that its battle on corruption would be won with the collective efforts of all Nigerians.

“No government in the history of Nigeria has attempted the bold initiatives that our party has taken to fight corruption. The PDP led Federal Government created the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

“No matter the criticisms trailing their performance, these bodies have posted degrees of successes. Most importantly, these institutions are meant to outgrow partisan practices and given time, become inviolable winnower on the chaff of corruption,” the statement said.

It also cited the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act by the PDP led National Assembly as a sign of the party’s commitment to ensure that Nigerians “irrespective of class shall be fully informed and have access to hitherto classified pieces of information; the bottom line being to make governance collective and participatory; so that each Nigerian at any level is enabled to pick up the gauntlet against corruption.”

The statement also said the attempt by the ACN to slur the integrity of the anti-corruption efforts of the Federal Government is a symptom of a one-track-minded political party, unable to appreciate the pre-1999 deprecates societal fabrics that the PDP met.

PDP promotes free, fair election unlike ACN

The statement also alleged that the PDP has promoted the spirit of free and fair elections contrary to what obtains in opposition parties.

“For the first time in the history of our dear nation, a government made good its promise of free and fair elections. The 2011 general elections in which President Goodluck Jonathan participated as an incumbent was adjudged locally and internationally as the most incredible in our recent records. The subsequent state governorship elections which the Undo election is the most recent have towed the same path.

“A comparison with the electoral shenanigans and bare faced robbery that go on in the opposition controlled States in the name of local government elections as witnessed recently in Ogun and Lagos States is just one out of myriads of ways the ACN is throwing spanner in the wheel of anti- corruption.

“Under the PDP led Federal Government, the nation has witnessed high profile probes as well as convictions. The National Assembly under the leadership of our great Party has also upped the scrutiny in its over sight functions.”

According to the PDP, “even though we are making no claims to having stamped out corruption, we insist that appreciable progress is being made. Yes, there is corruption but corrupt persons know full well today that the loop of the long arm of the law is not in any way broken; that questions must come up if not immediately, definitely later.”

” But what is the ACN’s contribution to freeing our society from corruption as a Party controlling six out of 36 states of the Federation?” Mr. Metuh asked throwing jibes at the ACN.

“When the ACN pontificates on corruption, it carefully grows forgetful of the fact that the states under it are the bastion of corruption; that its National Leader is neck deep in corrupt practices and that one man’s greed is feeding fat on tax payers money in the six states ,” Mr. Metuh said.

” When the ACN makes claim to sainthood”, the statement added, “it cleverly forgets that the gigantic question mark on the claimed educational credentials of its leader is a monumental crisis on the psyche of the current and up-coming generations of Nigerians and that such blatant fraud is the cradle of corruption in the larger Nigerian society.”