The Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday charged President Muhammadu Buhari to order the speedy prosecution of government officials that had been indicted for alleged graft.
In a statement titled:
“PDP To Buhari: Prosecute Corrupt Persons In Your Government…Says President’s Assertion Vindicates Its Stance,” and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the president’s declaration that some officials of his government had been indicted for corruption vindicated its principled opposition to the ongoing looting and re-looting of the country’s assets.
President Buhari had said on Friday that some government appointees in both his administration and the previous one had abused their trust.
He said: “There has been an abuse of trust by people trusted by the previous administration and this administration.
“A number of assets have been recovered and some money too.
“But we have introduced TSA where all the monies are taken and I said asset should be sold and the money be put through TSA so that it can be identified at any level and I will see who will come after us and take it back again to those who misappropriated public funds.”
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“All the past and present cases would be fully investigated. This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place.”
However, the PDP said the current delay in prosecuting the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, as well as indicted officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission and other agencies did not convey any sense of commitment by the government to fight against corruption.
The party said it welcomed the president’s declaration admitting corruption within his government and urged him to match his words with action by immediately charging those already indicted to court.
The statement read: “The PDP notes that Mr. president’s acceptance that there was an abuse of trust by persons in his government had vindicated its position that the Buhari administration is replete with treasury looters, who had been enjoying the cover of government.
“The party, however, asserts that unless the president matches his assertion with the corresponding action against officials of his government as well as leaders of the All Progressives Congress who are indicted for corruption, his declaration will still end up as one of the glib promises made by the APC and Buhari presidency since 2015.
“It is public knowledge that the APC administration had provided cover for loads of corrupt individuals in its fold as none of the government officials and APC leaders, who have been openly indicted for corruption, abuse of office and treasury looting, have been held culpable and prosecuted.“
The PDP said it was important for the government to start prosecution of such persons instead of the “constant harassment, intimidation, hounding and persecution of opposition leaders and other Nigerians with dissenting views on trumped-up charges.“
Opinions