The United Action for Democracy has called for the prosecution of all those indicted by the probe report of the Ad Hoc Committee of the House of Representatives that examined the petroleum subsidy regime.
UAD, in a statement, also demanded the sack of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dizeani Allison-Madueke; the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; and the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku.
The statement, signed by the Publicity Secretary of the UAD, Olawale Salami, said that though military men tried to stop their anti-corruption rallies in Abuja and Lagos, nonetheless, it still went on.
The statement added: “Ironically, pro-corruption ‘protesters’ and their sponsors in government organised rallies in Abuja and Port Harcourt the following day, yesterday 24-04-12! The pro-corruption ‘protesters’ were given Police protection and they had a field day justifying corruption. Shame!
“In the meantime, while this government continues in its practice of misuse of the armed and security forces, by deploying them to harrass popular protests while protecting misguided rented crowds of youths protesting in support of corruption, fraudsters, and increased burden of poverty on ordinary citizens; the real threat to security is allowed to exploit the vacuum left in selfish deployment of security forces to continue their reign of violence with the innocent and poor the ultimate victims!
“The UAD Insists that all those found culpable in the fuel subsidy probe, Power Sector probe, Pension Funds probe, Halliburton, Seimens etc must be brought to book without further delay.
“The ordinary masses, the poor, toiling people cannot continue to bear the brunt of corruption. Let the Trillion naira thieves pay for their crimes to serve as deterrent to others, who definitely, the people’s justice will catch up with.
“We need more than President Jonathan’s promise to prosecute those indicted because he is part of the system. After all he has failed in his promises on insecurity, power generation, infrastructures and so on. Of note are the promises and assurances on security of lives and property which have failed so woefully! Insecurity pervades the county.
“Nigerians must know that it is our role to reclaim our country from the band of thieves that lords it over us! We must struggle to free ourselves from the tenacious grip of the corrupt, extremely wealthy and inept ruling class. Our goal must be for system change, an overhaul of this decadent order.
“Nigerians must consolidate on the gains of the January Uprising for it not to be in vain by making sure that all ‘cans of worms’ opened up by the House of Representative Probe Pane on Fuel Subsidy are not swept under the carpet. The revelations are part of the fruits of the people’s Uprising in January 2012 amongst others. When we dare to struggle, we dare to win.
“The ‘gush of fresh air’ promised Nigerians by the PDP during the campaigns for the 2011 general elections is in full blast and seriously accelerating the impoverishment of the masses of the country. This gush which stinks to high heavens have embedded in it, a conscious plan to deepen the sufferings of the masses while a privileged few relish in stupendous ill-gotten wealth.
“In the light of this, the UAD is saying we must return to the streets to ensure that corruption is tackled, shamed and punished! The UAD is calling for NATIONWIDE MASS ACTIONS to rescue our country from the path of perdition from 1st of May 2012.
“Consequently we demand:
· Immediate and full implementation of the fuel subsidy, power sector, pension probe reports
· Prosecution and punishment of those implicated and indicted in the probes
· Sack or resignation of the Ministers of Petroleum, Finance and Information.
· Immediate steps to determine actual daily consumption rate for petrol, actual daily production capacity for petrol b y domestic refineries; and therefore actual daily import requirement for petrol without these, there will always be fraud.”