The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has applauded the Federal Government for the suspension of the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla over allegations related to official misconduct and abuse of office.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy, BMO recalled that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had persistently accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of shielding members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from prosecution over corruption-related matters.
“We make bold to say that with the latest drastic action against a founding member of the ruling party and a top government official, Chief Obono-Obla, the Buhari administration has shown that it has no sacred cows in the fight against corruption, and its resolve to eradicate the scourge remains strong and unshakeable.
“We believe that this singular action, and the unfolding probe of the current Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita will lay to rest all doubts about the unfounded claims by the opposition that the Buhari administration was shielding its officials from prosecution. We also believe that the Federal Government’s decision to suspend him is in order as investigations will unravel any areas of misconduct on the part of Chief Obla”.
BMO said further that based on the Federal Government’s commitment to rule of law, due process and transparency, there was need to suspend Obla from office in order to preserve the integrity of the anti-corruption war and save it from being tainted with a bad image.
“We hope that the latest moves by the Federal Government should serve as a warning signal to all government officials that there will be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption as the Buhari administration remains committed to tackling the menace head-long as an aggressive problem requires a drastic solution”, the statement added.