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Revealed: Why Buhari’s massive crackdown on ‘corrupt’ politicians will not cease

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Real reasons why the Buhari-led government will sustain its massive crack down on corrupt politicians are beginning to emerge. Ripples Nigeria has learnt that the hunt for perceived enemies of the state is beyond the anti-graft war as has been widely speculated.

The last three months have witnessed a rash of arrests, mostly of top government officials who served in the Goodluck Jonathan administration and their ‘collaborators’ in the corporate world. The most recent were the dramatic invitation and arrest of Femi Fani Kayode, Jonathan’s former Campaign Director, and Barrister Ebun Olu Adegboruwa, a known critic of Buhari’s seeming permissive disrespect for the rule of law.

Theirs were preceded by the detention and release of the Managing Directors of Fidelity Bank, Sterling Bank and Access Bank. There are speculations that a very top official of First Bank may also have been picked by operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While Adegboruwa has been accused of ‘419’ activities, the bank chiefs are alleged to have partaken in Dasukigate and the looting of $15 billion earmarked for arms purchase.

Very competent sources within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have confided in Ripples Nigeria that the sustained battle against ‘corruption’ is deliberate and orchestrated, and aimed at clearing the way for total dominance of the party in the 2019 elections. But this is only the broad perspective. Our sources say that the minor details lay in the hidden struggle for the control of the party structure and soul of the APC.

“APC is stewed in opposition politics. We are veterans and understand what it means to put our opponents on the defensive all the time. PDP was a behemoth, and still remains largely so with a massive financial chest. We know that with a slim majority across the states and the National Assembly, our hold on the polity would be tenuous.

Read also: EFCC obtains court order to keep Fani-Kayode in custody

“The move to decimate PDP is strategic and deliberate. It’s the wisest and safest thing to do in the circumstance, if we hope to consolidate the reins of power in 2019. We don’t want to be a one-term government, the source stated.

He continued that “The PDP made themselves game by the reckless looting of the nation’s treasury. We knew they were desperate to retain power in 2015 and stole heavily to fund the campaigns. It was easy to track their sources of funding because of our network within the presidency. The revelations so far are a tip of the iceberg. By the time we are done, PDP would barely crawl,” our source said.

He admitted that rumblings within the party had become a major threat to its stability but was quick to add that APC was focused on the primary task of putting PDP in disarray.

“Yes, it’s true that powerful elements within the APC hierarchy are engaged in a fierce struggle for control of the party machinery. Not even the presidency is uninterested. Buhari is arguably one of the hungriest and smartest Nigeria politicians alive. He knows that he must work to keep the party structure with him. Don’t be deceived, the ‘anti-corruption war’ may swing either way and come in handy as a joker.”

The source also noted that discerning party chieftains are already wary of this and plotting safety valves, just in case Mr President decides to table his ace.

“In spite of all the rumblings, we are focused on the one goal of returning to power in 2019. This is paramount to all APC faithful”, our source said.

 

 

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0 Comments

  1. Luffy Ade

    May 11, 2016 at 11:32 am

    HMMMN

  2. Chukxharry

    May 12, 2016 at 10:50 am

    The anonymous spokesman is laughable!His party is yet to do anything to impact the lives and living standards of the Nigerian people, yet what’s top on it’s card is returning to power come 2019. Nigerians are no fools!That’s the calculation that sent GEJ packing.In stead of settling down to deliver the dividends of democracy as soon as he was given valid mandate in 2011, he lost focus and became engrossed in politicking for 2015.Where that led him is now history. What the masses want to see are concrete achievements with undoubted impact on their lives and living,not loud media hype and rhetorics about some abstract achievements.That’s where GEJ and his handlers lost it! An average Nigerian has become so politically informed and savvy that he can differentiate between abstract/deceptive statistics and real impacts. Gone were the days when some politicians and their media hirelings will tell us GDP grew by,say 4%,without appreciable improvements in the standard of living of the governed and anyone will believe them. Buhari had better not fall for this! If those around him is telling him that the surest gameplan to secure 2019 is to witch hunt and silence opposition, rather than delivering visible results that voters can relate to and judge him by,he is walking the same path as GEJ. When Trump entered the republican field for the tussle of his party’s presidential ticket, most people branded him “a clown’ and called him all manner of names. Months down the line, the coast is now cleared for the same man,who was never given a chance at the start , to have it, despite all the orchestrated hurdles and obstacles to scuttle his ambition. That’s the power of results in action! Nigerians voted personality,not party,in 2015 election,because of who they believed Buhari was. In the next round of general elections,the electorate will vote his results or scorecard,not anything else, he should not be deceived.

    • 3ice

      May 16, 2016 at 4:53 pm

      Gbam!! You have said it all, nothing remain. Well said.

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