Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday faulted the anti-corruption crusade of the former head of state and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari, saying corruption is not fought by throwing people in jail abysmally.
The former President who spoke yesterday while fielding questions from journalists who accosted him at his Presidential Hilltop Mansion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, upon his to the country after some weeks abroad, said corruption can be fought without harming people.
Obasanjo who recently voiced his support for the APC presidential candidate said his administration and that of his predecessor; General Abdulsalam Abubakar recovered millions of dollars from former head of state, General Sani Abacha’s estate without putting anyone in jail.
Obasanjo recalled that his administration recovered $1.2 billion from Abacha’s loot while his predecessor recovered $750 million adding that the current administration failed to track about $1 billion remaining to be recovered.
The former President said he hoped Buhari has learnt the lesson that there are differences between a military and democratic regime, adding that if he failed to learn his lesson, the shame would be on him.
Obasanjo said, “You do not fight corruption by putting people in jail for 200 years and this has been done by my predecessor in office, General Abdulsalam Abubakar. He recovered over $750 million from Abacha’s estate without putting anybody in jail, without hurting or harming anybody, when I took over, we recovered over $1.25 billion from the same Abacha estate without harming anybody.
The former President was critical of President Goodluck Jonathan and the postponement of the general elections saying he sees a grand plan by either the president or people closer to him wanting him (Jonathan) to remain in power at all cost.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
