Mimiko, ex-Ministers have nothing to fear if they aren’t corrupt — APC

The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State said on Tuesday that the anxiety within the state government and among ministers who served in the last administration over allegations of corruption smacked of guilt.

APC’s statement followed an alarm raised by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, on the plot to petition anti-graft agencies against the governor, Olusegun Mimiko, and other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party who served under the Jonathan administration.

Mr. Akinmade had said that the state government had uncovered a plot to launch a series of attacks on the credibility of the governor and the Peoples Democratic Party by some political enemies.

But the APC said the apprehension was needless if the governor and his companions in the Peoples Democratic Party had clean hands.

The Publicity Secretary of the party, Omo’ba Adesanya, said the corruption fight would continue irrespective of the blackmail by Mr. Mimiko and other PDP leaders.

“We advise them not to exercise fears if they are not corrupt, as President Muhammadu Buhari, whom the Nigerian public and the international community have nicknamed ‘Mr. Integrity’ will be fair and just to all in the fight against corruption,” he said.

“The fight against corruption is sacrosanct and indispensable. Nigerians voted for the APC at the last presidential election, amongst other reasons, because President Muhammadu Buhari promised to nip corruption in the bud.

“Therefore any attempt to jettison the fight, will amount to a breach of trust on our electoral promises to millions of Nigerians.”

Mr. Adesanya noted that the APC was aware of the efforts by Mr. Mimiko, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and other leaders of the party, to rubbish the anti-corruption crusade of the president, warning that Buhari would only be encouraged to be firm in his pursuit to rid the country of corruption.

“APC as a party and by our manifesto, strongly urges all would-be political appointees to be exemplary and lead by example, as there will be no waiver or sacred cow in the fight against corruption,” he added.