Obasanjo to Buhari | Beware of Corrupt Lawmakers

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday weighed in on the latest allegations of cor­ruption in the National Assem­bly, advising President Muham­madu Buhari to be very wary in his dealings with the federal law­makers.

Obasanjo, who spoke with journalists at the Aso Villa yes­terday after a meeting with President Buhari, reaffirmed his earlier position that there were many corrupt politicians in the National Assembly, as shown by the incidence of budget pad­ding.

“The President should be very vigilant. Whatever he should not pass, he should not pass,” Obasanjo stressed.

He also advised that it was time to elect people of integrity into the National Assembly – to avert recurring and embarrass­ing incidences of corruption in the process of lawmaking.

Speaking to State House correspondents after he held a closed-door meeting with Pres­ident Buhari on Monday, Oba­sanjo maintained his stance and said it was important for the President not to allow the law­makers get away with such cor­ruption.

Asked how worried he was that little has changed since his earlier allegations and if he had a different opinion now, the ex-president replied “well, if you say that I have said it in the past and if there are people who didn’t be­lieve what I said in the past, then you now say that what has come out confirms what I said in the past, then I can say what I said in the past is what I will say now”.

Pressed further to disclose if he would welcome an outright investigation into the latest al­legation of padding of the 2016 budget, Obasanjo replied that “it is not a question of investigation.

“We should get men and women of integrity in the place and the President should be very vigilant – whatever he should not pass he should not pass.”

Obasanjo was asked of his mission to the seat of power this time around and he explained: “I am visiting this time because I have some messages for the president.

“Not too long ago I was in Liberia and Gambia and I have messages these two countries will want me to deliver to the president.

“Also, only yesterday I came back from Seychelles Island where I attended this year’s An­nual General Meeting of Africa Export Development Bank; and there are aspects of the proceed­ings that I think I should update the President.”

When jokingly asked if he enjoyed all the travelling, he re­sponded: “Travelling is good education. What you will learn about a country by visiting that country for two or three days you won’t learn by reading through books”.

As a journalist asked if he in­tends to slow down on the fre­quency of the trips, Obasanjo quickly replied him: “May God not allow you to slow down”.