Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state has said he felt vindicated following the arrest and impending trial of former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
He said this while speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Oshiomhole equally took a swipe at claims by the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan that it rebased the economy, stating that rebasing or not, the masses did not feel the administration’s impact.
“For me I don’t think anybody should be surprised because the most favourable commentator on the Nigerian condition, on the economy, the polity and society, agree that our economy was badly managed over the past several years.
“I have not seen one commentator that disagrees. Even when they talk about rebasing, and so what? Have you rebased the level of poverty? Have you rebased prosperity? Have you rebased unemployment? Have you rebased homelessness? Have you rebased hunger?
The former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress continued: “So I have not seen anyone that says Nigerian people are doing better. This was never my issue. I was only a spokesman of National Economic Council.
“But in this country when you speak out, all the arrows should be fashioned to attack you. But one of the things I learnt in life at the age of 17 when I got into the leadership of labour, is that the truth does not require supporters club.
“It can stand on its feet anyday. You can hit it. You can kick it. You can bomb it, but you can’t destroy it.
Oshoimhole further predicted more travails for looters of the treasury, stating: “The truth is that a lot of money was stolen and what you are seeing is just a tip of the iceberg, because when you imagine what accrues to Nigeria, consistently from 140 dollars, averaging 108 dollars over a long period of time and yet your treasury is empty.
“You were running a budget deficit, you were devoting 85 percent of your budget for four consecutive years on recurrent, you were borrowing and you draw the entire pensions fund. Yesterday I saw a lot of analysis on how pension funds should be invested on infrastructure.
“It’s not about who has hand in what. I think it’s about law and order. In other climes, institutions do their work.
“They are not at the beck and call of political authority. They have their mandate and the law specifies this and it is scrupulously followed.
“I’m the happiest person because I’ve been in government for seven years without being in power. I was in government, I couldn’t call a commissioner of police and talk as a security officer, I’m haunted by all manners of persons.
“You kill the snake in Edo, they will put the snake on life support in Abuja and they keep harassing us.
“Now all those venoms are dead and buried, for the first time I’m excited and happy not just for personal benefit, but for the changes I’m beginning to see.”
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