Frontline human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has refuted claims that he lauded the approach former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration adopted to fight corruption.
Falana, in a statement issued on Wednesday denied praising Jonathan on his fight against corruption.
The legal luminary was recently quoted in the media to have flayed Buhari’s slow approach on corruption.
However, Falana in a statement issued Wednesday denied making such statement.
He said “some misguided fellows” attributed to him, quoting his recent interview with Channels Television, a suggestion that the Jonathan administration fought corruption in a more civilised way.
“I challenge the reactionary forces that have twisted and manipulated my views to reproduce any statement made by me suggesting that ex-President Jonathan fought corruption in a civilised manner,” he said.
He said the claim was part of a desperate move to discredit President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption policy and link him with forces of corruption that were fighting back against the policy.
He said, “In a desperate move to discredit the anti corruption programme of the Muhammadu Buhari admistration some misguided fellows have attempted to link me with the forces of corruption that are fighting back in the country.
“I was alleged to have ‘suggested’ in an interview with Channels television, that (former) President Jonathan fought corruption in a more civilised manner than President Buhari. I never made such a stupid statement. Hence, the ‘suggestion’ ascribed to me is grossly misleading and downright dishonest.”
He added, “In accusing the influential members of the National Peace Committee of gargantuan hypocrisy, I did say that their chairman, General Abbdulsami Abubakar, even probed the dead and recovered property and over $1bn from Abacha loot which are contained in the Forfeiture Decree No 45 of 1999.
“With respect to President Jonathan, I did say that his administration recovered $970m from the said Abacha loot and sacked three of his ministers. I never said that those actions were taken quietly as they were announced and celebrated in the media by the Jonathan administration.
“Consequently, I questioned the motive of the members of the National Peace Committee in calling for ‘soft landing’ for corrupt people. Convinced that the call was a demonstration of class solidarity, I urged the Buhari administration not to be deterred in prosecuting the anti-corruption war.
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“In fact, I did not hesitate in supporting President Buhari’s anti-corruption policy by citing section 15 of the Constitution, which has imposed a duty on the Nigerian State to abolish corrupt practices and abuse of power.”
