N30 Trillion Naira Spending: SAN supports probe of Buhari’s administration

Chidi Yadiba, Onitsha

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN), Chief Ben Uzuegbu has supported the Senate’s intention to probe former administration of Mohammadu Buhari over allegations of recklessly spending over N30 trillion naira of the nation’s resources.

The upper legislature recently threatened to probe the immediate past administration over its reckless spending of Nigeria’s resources, including loans approved by the then Senate.

However, there have been reservations over the threat to probe Buhari’s administration taking cognizance of the fact that most senators who approved the loans and other forms of borrowing are still in the same Senate.

Current political leaders think that it was the reckless economic policies and fraudulent handling of Nigeria’s economy by government officials in the immediate past administration that is responsible for the nation’s present economic woes.

However, an Onitsha-based fiery lawyer Chief Uzuegbu who welcomed the intention of the National Assembly to probe the financial dealings of the past administration stated in an interview in Onitsha yesterday that a law should be enacted for probing every administration after the expiration of their tenure.

The vibrant Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) observed that Ñigerian leaders were not patriotic enough to handle the economic fortunes of the country and suggested that with the law in place, every administration will be conscious of facing an independent audit panel over their stewardship.

He, however, expressed reservation over the outcome of such a probe, adding that the outcome of many probes in the country has been swept under the carpet.

He called on Igbos to be vigilant wherever they are and warned against joining any protest over hardship in the country, stressing that in the end, Igbos would be at the receiving end as they are found across the breadth and length of the country.

” Igbos in Nigeria should not join any protest over the current economic hardship in Nigeria. I support Ohanaeze’s position over that. In the end, some sections and enemies of Ndigbo would term it an Igbo affair.”

“The current economic hardship in the country is being felt by Nigerians across tribal and religious leanings and not restricted to any ethnic group nor religion.”

Chief Uzuegbu condemned pulling out of the said protest by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), adding that successive administrations in the country have succeeded in applying “divide and rule” to create disharmony among various groups.

He expressed disappointment with the Trade Union Congress over their stand against the protest, stating that there must have been a handshake by some officials of TUC with the Federal Government, arguing that many demands of Labour and TUC from the Federal Government have not even been met to warrant a withdrawal from the planned protest.