Former Minister of Works and PDP chieftain, Tony Anenih yesterday in Abuja, frowned at the description of all Nigerian politicians as “corrupt.” Anenih who was the chief launcher at a book presentation, said:“In every society you have saints, angels, murderers, you have kidnappers and it would be wrong to make a general statement to say everybody in that society is a murderer. They say people go into politics because they want to make money. I don’t say there are no corrupt politicians but not every politician is corrupt,” Anenih said.
The book, “Nigeria Yesterday Today”, was published by Professor Godwin Sogolo, a onetime columnist at the Guardian newspaper.
Anenih’s statement was in apparent reaction to comments by the publisher of the book and Chairman, Safari Books Limited, Joop Berkhout, who said Nigeria’s major problem was corruption and that politicians who loot public treasury should be severely dealt with.
Berkhout said politicians should realize that public funds “belong to the people and it should be spent in their interest.”
Information Nigeria recalls that the former minister is to appear before the House of Representatives to explain his role in an alleged N20 billion contract scam.
