NewStats: 3,262,373 , 8,176,960 topics. Date: Monday, 02 June 2025 at 04:16 AM 2r2y6b

Portugal’s Prime Minister, António Costa, has announced he would resign as head of state in the wake of a corruption scandal involving energy contracts.

Costa in a nationally televised address on Tuesday said that “in these circumstances, obviously, I have presented my resignation to the president of the republic.”

Costa's shocking announcement came hours after Portuguese police arrested his chief of staff while raiding several public buildings and other properties as part of a widespread corruption probe, New Indian Express reports.

The Supreme Court, the state prosecutor’s office said, was also examining the suspects’ “use of the prime minister’s name and his involvement to unlock” the practices being probed.

The 62-year-old Costa, Portugal’s Socialist leader since 2015, defended his innocence and teared up while thanking his family for their through the years.

“I totally trust the justice system," he said. “I want to say eye to eye to the Portuguese, that my conscience is clear of any illicit or censured act.”

“If there are suspicions, than the judicial authorities are free to look into them ... I am not above the law."

Portuguese president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa is expected to accept Costa's resignation.

An investigative judge issued arrest warrants for Vítor Escária, Costa’s chief of staff, the mayor of the town of Sines, and three other people because they represented a flight risk and to protect evidence, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

It said that the Minister of Infrastructure João Galamba and the head of the country’s environmental agency were among those named as suspects.

The judge is investigating alleged malfeasance, corruption of elected officials, and influence peddling related to lithium mine concessions near Portugal’s northern border with Spain, and plans for a green hydrogen plant and data center in Sines, on the south coast.

The raids included the premises of the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Sines town council, private homes and offices.

The prosecutor’s office said that the probe has determined that the “suspects invoked the name of the prime minister” when carrying out their allegedly illicit activities.

Antonio Costa has been the Prime Minister of Portugal since 2015. He is half Indian and half Portuguese.

Source: https://saharareporters.com/2023/11/07/portugals-prime-minister-tenders-resignation-amid-corruption-probe

In a certain country they’ll go to the Supreme Court and get cleared of all charges based on technicalities

nlfpmod

No Nigerian will resign under this circumstances. Instead, he will be forming clean and hoping to you plea bargain to escape justice. Infact the corrupt high Court and supreme Court judges will brazenly clear him of his corruption

Naija

In Nigeria,they we rather die than to resign.The worst of it all is that even the court in Nigeria we be defending these corrupt politicians.Nigeria courts are only effective when dealing with the poor man.

These are people that have shame and respect. Unlike Nigerian politicians.

I hope their embassy in Abuja have started receiving applications

Resignation is alien to African leaders because they view political office as a coronation and birthright.

Tinubu the thief, smuggler, druggie, killer, clueless, and mandate thief is sitting there comfortably.

You know our politicians would never.

wman:
These are people that have shame and respect. Unlike Nigerian politicians.

Our Politicians no get shame.

Just the way Atiku was enmeshed in Halliburton scandal. Tinubu na Lagos Treasury. And Obi the Saint nko? He looted Anambra Treasury without mercy.

That's a country with sensible people

Here someone is shouting Emilokan up and down. Reg from leadership positions is alien to Nigeria politicians

Here in the jungle, the agbado drug baron himself and all his nairaland mopol are commiting all sort of atrocities just to remain in power

...


In Nigeria its a perfect situation for a leader to continue in government..

In a scene society even without judiciary

Africa left the chat 😂🤣😔. Resign and Africa are opposite charges.

Can never happen in Africa. Rather Heads would roll

We copied everything from these guys except this one.

Can tinubu tender resignation amid corruption probe??

I wish African leaders can look at this whites and emulate their way of politics.

Oscarpro:
Naija politicians just left the group chat !!!

Nah! Africa 🌍 actually 😂😔🤣

No gov in Nigeria have ever done that

Lets start paying them teachers salary with no bonus and allowance

This can never happen in nigeria

Tjra:

Our Politicians no get shame.

Just the way Atiku was enmeshed in Halliburton scandal. Tinubu na Lagos Treasury. And Obi the Saint nko? He looted Anambra Treasury without mercy.

This na country with good system structure... i really envy their citizens...

So unfortunate that here in Nja corruption is now a norm...

That is the definition of Democracy.

Y'all should take note!

Tinubu reading this news in balabu Bulaba 😀😃