8 November 2007
Lagos — Action Congress (AC), has called for full disclosure of the alleged bribery of officials of the Nigerian government, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the NNPC, by a former senior staff of the U.S.-based Willbros Group.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was necessary to know which government official, the PDP and the NNPC benefitted from the U.S.$6 million in bribes from the company, so they could be made to face the full wrath of the law for dragging Nigeria into international disrepute.
"The decision of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Andoakaa, to travel to the U.S. in an effort to investigate the matter is a welcome first step", it said.
"We expect that the Minister will leave no stone unturned in getting all the full details, including whether or not the funds were given to the PDP to use for the 2003 elections, since the alleged bribe was paid by the Willbros official that year," the party said.
AC said the case presented another good opportunity for President Umaru Yar'Adua to demonstrate his commitment to the rule of law.
It expressed shock that the alleged bribery occurred under the
administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who made the fight against corruption a major plank of his government's policies, and hunted several innocent Nigerians over alleged corruption.
According to the revelation coming from the guilty plea by Jason Steph, former senior executive of Willbros, the U.S.$6 million was given to a senior member of the executive branch of the Obasanjo government, the ruling PDP and officials of the NNPC.
"Yet the eagle-eyed anti-corruption agencies, especially the ever-present EFCC, did not discover this, or if it did, pretended as if it did not happen.
"The case has again exposed the double standard of that administration, as well as its attack dogs in their so-called fight against corruption. We expect the Yar'Adua administration to get to the root of the matter in the interest of our nation and its people. We will not allow the issue to be swept under the carpet," AC said.
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