Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Saturday said President Muhammadu Buhari is only deceiving Nigerians about his claim to be fighting against corruption.
Wike who slammed Buhari for pardoning former Plateau and Taraba Governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame said both men were freed for political reasons ahead of the 2023 elections.
He berated the federal government for taking such a decision arguing that the step has ridiculed Nigeria before the international community.
Naija News reports Governor Wike made the submissions during his consultations with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State in furtherance of his 2023 presidential ambition.
He questioned the rationale behind the choice of those granted pardon and wondered why James Ibori didn’t get a similar treatment.
Wike, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri said the Buhari government was always against those he perceives as political enemies.
He said: “To tell you the truth, this APC government has deceived us a lot. This is a government that said they’re fighting corruption, they handpick people and jail them after they have gone through all court processes up to Supreme Court.
“Then they turned around to release from prison those people that they said are corrupt. What country and what a government?
“Doing it for political reasons because the elections are coming and they want (Joshua) Dariye to help their party in Plateau State. They want (Jolly) Nyame to help them in Taraba State. Why don’t they give pardon to James Ibori for example?
“Look at how they have made the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to prosecute and spend so much money. Then at the end of the day you played politics with it. How will the international community look at us? It’s so shameful.”
Wike told the delegates that if they support him to get the PDP ticket, they should be rest assured that he would win the presidential election.
He promised to work with capable professionals to make Nigeria a better country if he becomes the President.
He said: “The day you give me the ticket is the day we will start to form the government, because by giving me the ticket, I know I’ve won the election already.
“It is only when you’ve given me the ticket that I’ll make sure that I present, put together the best of professionals that will help me to run the affairs of this country.
“Leadership is the ability to organize and galvanised experts to do the work under adequate supervision and coordination.”
