Former minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for urging Qatari industry captains to report Nigerian officials who demand any form of bribe before allowing them to operate business in the country.
Recall that Tinubu, during a meeting in Qatar, yesterday, told a gathering of investors to report any Nigerian official asking for a bribe, saying that the country is removing all roadblocks to investments.
However, Chidoka, in his reaction, said that the statement was uncalled for as it demarkets Nigeria in the eyes of investors.
The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party led this out during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, on Sunday.
Chidoka said: “It was an unfortunate statement. I was shocked and embarrassed that he was continuing Buhari’s type of de-marketing of Nigeria.
“There are many Nigerians who will not ask for a bribe or disturb people. The people who will probably ask you for a bribe are in the minority. The job of the President is to sell Nigeria, to be the chief spokesperson and chief salesperson of Nigeria.
READ MORE: Report Nigerian Officials Who Demand Bribe’ – Tinubu Tells Qatari Investors
“I don’t really blame the President. I blame the inability of people like the Minister of Information and Foreign Affairs for the theme of the government.
“The government has to have a theme like we are pro-investment, we want to attract foreign exchange. Our mission is to deodorise Nigeria, to tell a good story about Nigeria, to tell Africa’s rising narrative and to say that this change of government is a new mandate that tells you how Nigeria has been able to sustain democracy for 24 going to 25 years now.
“So the story about Nigeria is not a story of bribery and corruption. And we don’t want a President who people are calling from Qatar to report a bribe.
“They should report them to the police, EFCC, ICPC or any other office of government that deals with that.”
“I do not think that his contemporaries and other countries are busy looking for bribe-takers. Did you hear the president of Italy comment about the Agip bribery case in Nigeria? It is not the business of the government of Italy nor should it be the business of Nigeria. The people who are caught doing it should be punished. There should be processes for punishing people.
