Former media adviser to erstwhile President Olusegun, Dr. Doyin
Okupe, has tasked Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential
Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC), to, within 24 hours,
carry out his threat to reveal the details of the running cost of
the principal officers of the National Assembly.
Okupe, however, wants the revelation to include the running cost
of President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,
Ministers, Special Advisers to the President, other top government
functionaries, and even himself.
The former presidential spokesman said failure by Sagay to give
correct figures about the running cost of all top members of the
Buhari government in the executive and legislature should be taken
up by the National Assembly and that each day he fails to carry out
his threat, his credibility will continue to wane.
”I find the threat by Professor Sagay on allowances and running
cost of the leadership of the National Assembly very interesting.
It will aid our fight for transparency in public affairs. However,
he should not be selective. For us to take him seriously, he should
include the details of the running costs of the office of the
President, Vice President, Ministers, Special Advisers, heads of
Government agencies, parastatals and even himself. Afterall, all
the salaries, allowances and running costs come from the same
public coffers”, he said, yesterday, in a statement.
“He should tell the world how much he is paid, how much he
spends on his numerous junketing abroad, his allowances, honoraria,
and others, including the ones paid for by international donor
agencies.”
“For Prof. Sagay to say that the country would explode if he
gives out certain figures is inciting, particularly, at a volatile
and tensed period as we have now in the country. I believe the
President owes this country a duty to call this man to order.”
”It will also be interesting if Sagay can tell Nigerians what
the achievements of his committee are in the last 30 months that it
has been using government money. Or is the committee set up just
for the purpose of abusing and attacking the National
Assembly?”
“With the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) rating recently
released by Transparency International (TI), it does appear that
Sagay’s committee has neither helped Nigeria nor the President who
set up the committee and funded it with tax-payers’ money. Mr.
Sagay should sit down with members of his committee to work
seriously in developing position papers and policies that will
actually help the anti-corruption war and make it more effective.
This will by far be a much more dignified job than rabble-rousing
and witch-hunting of institutions and personalities in the
country.”
Former media adviser to erstwhile President Olusegun, Dr. Doyin
Okupe, has tasked Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of the Presidential
Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC), to, within 24 hours,
carry out his threat to reveal the details of the running cost of
the principal officers of the National Assembly.
Okupe, however, wants the revelation to include the running cost
of President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,
Ministers, Special Advisers to the President, other top government
functionaries, and even himself.
The former presidential spokesman said failure by Sagay to give
correct figures about the running cost of all top members of the
Buhari government in the executive and legislature should be taken
up by the National Assembly and that each day he fails to carry out
his threat, his credibility will continue to wane.
”I find the threat by Professor Sagay on allowances and running
cost of the leadership of the National Assembly very interesting.
It will aid our fight for transparency in public affairs. However,
he should not be selective. For us to take him seriously, he should
include the details of the running costs of the office of the
President, Vice President, Ministers, Special Advisers, heads of
Government agencies, parastatals and even himself. Afterall, all
the salaries, allowances and running costs come from the same
public coffers”, he said, yesterday, in a statement.
“He should tell the world how much he is paid, how much he
spends on his numerous junketing abroad, his allowances, honoraria,
and others, including the ones paid for by international donor
agencies.”
“For Prof. Sagay to say that the country would explode if he
gives out certain figures is inciting, particularly, at a volatile
and tensed period as we have now in the country. I believe the
President owes this country a duty to call this man to order.”
”It will also be interesting if Sagay can tell Nigerians what
the achievements of his committee are in the last 30 months that it
has been using government money. Or is the committee set up just
for the purpose of abusing and attacking the National
Assembly?”
“With the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) rating recently
released by Transparency International (TI), it does appear that
Sagay’s committee has neither helped Nigeria nor the President who
set up the committee and funded it with tax-payers’ money. Mr.
Sagay should sit down with members of his committee to work
seriously in developing position papers and policies that will
actually help the anti-corruption war and make it more effective.
This will by far be a much more dignified job than rabble-rousing
and witch-hunting of institutions and personalities in the
country.”