Jonathan hits back at Tambuwal, flaunts achievements

Warns population chair against reckless remarks

 From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, AbujaPresident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday tactically responded to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who alleged last December that his body language  shows that he was unwilling to fight corruption.

Tambuwal had at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference, accused  Jonathan of encouraging corruption in the country by his handling of corruption cases, adding that he has failed to act on cases revealed by the National Assembly.

“The President’s body language seems to be encouraging corrupt practices in the country,” the Speaker had said.

Tambuwal had stated: “Take the subsidy probe, the pension, the SEC probe and recently the bullet proof car cases. After the House of Representatives did a diligent job by probing and exposing the cases, you now see something else when it comes to prosecution.”

Flaunting the 250 convictions made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), recently, Jonathan challenged his critics to point to one country that has recorded the same feat in such a short time, saying it was the most corrupt Nigerians, who want to appear as angels before Nigerians that were accusing him of not fighting corruption.

He charged both the EFCC and ICPC to publicise convictions to convince Nigerians that they were working.

He gave the charge at the swearing in ceremony of the National Population Chairman, Eze Duru Iheoma and two commissioners of the commission, Bala Banya and Aliyu Kwali; the Special Adviser on NEPAD, Fidelia Njeze; National Assembly Affairs, Senator Suleiman Ajadi, as well as a member of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Bako Abdullahi, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.

While congratulating the officers for accepting to serve their country, the President urged them to bring their experiences to bear on their new assignment.

The President said: “By your citation we all know that you are people who have acquired reasonable experiences over the period and very excellent academic record.

“Your appointment is coming at a very critical time in the history of this country. You know there are a number of things happening at the same time.”