Workers must demand how FG will spend recovered funds – Falana SAN

Human right activist, Femi Falana (SAN), said on Wednesday that
Nigerian workers must demand from the government how the money
recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
would be spent.

Speaking on the final day of the 40th anniversary celebration of
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Falana accused the President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of not fighting “the real
corruption,” saying the government was scratching the issue on the
surface.

He described the third force being canvassed by former President
Olusegun Obasanjo as the real party for the working class, saying
the NLC must take steps to rebrand and revive the Labour Party and
make sure it does not become a dumping ground for disgruntled
elements of the ruling party.

He said Nigerian workers must rise in defence of the country by
demanding accountability and judicious use of the recovered looted
funds as many citizens are dying of starvation.

He added that Nigeria cannot be complaining of being broke
considering the huge public resources in private hands.

He said: “NLC has a role to play to protect the interest of the
Nigerian people. That is why whenever there is a problem in the
country, people will be asking where is NLC. If you say you are
fighting corruption, we have nothing to lose but to join them to
expose themselves.

“The EFCC in the last two and half years recovered N750 billion.
NLC must find out what will they do with the money. I told
government publicly that what they are doing by saying they are
fighting corruption is a tip of the iceberg. The real corruption is
not been fought.

“I wrote a letter to the Minister of Finance and itemised how
this country can recover about $200 billion. Therefore, they don’t
need to go anywhere to borrow money. But what the minister did was
to write me back to acknowledge the receipt of the letter and that
it is receiving attention. And up till now that letter is receiving
attention.

“In 2006, the then CBN governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo,
gave $7 billion to 14 banks and those banks have not paid back the
money. Also in 2008, the former CBN governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi, gave six banks N600 billion and up till now, the money has
not been returned. You cannot say we are broke, pay back this
money.”

Human right activist, Femi Falana (SAN), said on Wednesday that
Nigerian workers must demand from the government how the money
recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
would be spent.

Speaking on the final day of the 40th anniversary celebration of
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Falana accused the President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of not fighting “the real
corruption,” saying the government was scratching the issue on the
surface.

He described the third force being canvassed by former President
Olusegun Obasanjo as the real party for the working class, saying
the NLC must take steps to rebrand and revive the Labour Party and
make sure it does not become a dumping ground for disgruntled
elements of the ruling party.

He said Nigerian workers must rise in defence of the country by
demanding accountability and judicious use of the recovered looted
funds as many citizens are dying of starvation.

He added that Nigeria cannot be complaining of being broke
considering the huge public resources in private hands.

He said: “NLC has a role to play to protect the interest of the
Nigerian people. That is why whenever there is a problem in the
country, people will be asking where is NLC. If you say you are
fighting corruption, we have nothing to lose but to join them to
expose themselves.

“The EFCC in the last two and half years recovered N750 billion.
NLC must find out what will they do with the money. I told
government publicly that what they are doing by saying they are
fighting corruption is a tip of the iceberg. The real corruption is
not been fought.

“I wrote a letter to the Minister of Finance and itemised how
this country can recover about $200 billion. Therefore, they don’t
need to go anywhere to borrow money. But what the minister did was
to write me back to acknowledge the receipt of the letter and that
it is receiving attention. And up till now that letter is receiving
attention.

“In 2006, the then CBN governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo,
gave $7 billion to 14 banks and those banks have not paid back the
money. Also in 2008, the former CBN governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido
Sanusi, gave six banks N600 billion and up till now, the money has
not been returned. You cannot say we are broke, pay back this
money.”