President Jonathan's spokesman Reuben Abati
has explained why late military dictator Gen. Sani
Abacha was given the controversial Centenary
Award, saying that the government was in no way
supporting corrupt practices...
"This (award) does not in any means
translate to supporting sharp practices or
corrupt practices. It is important to make
the clear distinction in this regard.
I think it is important to make the necessary
distinction here. The centenary award, like
every award, has its own criteria. That
centenary award was in relation to the
amalgamation, the national unity, the history
of Nigeria and the roles played by certain
individuals.
The centenary award was not a test of
sainthood. In giving the award to the former
Head of State, Gen. Abacha, the committee
in charge made it very clear that the award
in the category in which the former Head of
State appeared was awarded with regard to
the contributions of those individuals in
keeping Nigeria together." Continue...
You will find out that under that category,
there were largely former Heads of State,
persons who have at one time or the other
presided over Nigeria and under whose
watch, in spite of whatever challenges they
might have faced, helped to sustain the
unity of the country and helped to defend
the integrity and sovereignty of the country.
That was a specific criterion in this
particular category. Of course, every award
at all, be it for beauty or any other thing has
its own criteria.” Reuben Abati tells Punch
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