The All Progressives Congress has given the assurance that President Muhammadu Buhari will not stop anti-graft agencies from probing members of the ruling party, including ministerial nominees who are culpable of corruption as the president is a respecter of rule of law.
This disclosure was made by the party deputy national chairman (North), Senators Lawan Shuaibu, stating that if any nominee is convicted in court for corruption, the president will allow the extant law of the land to take its root.
He said: “You see the President has said several times that he believes in the rule of law, that he respects the rule of the law. Anything that is not in line with the Constitution and the extant laws of this country, he won’t go for it. When it comes to the issue of the choice of people who will serve as ministers in his administration, I believe that until one is convicted in the law court, we will be chasing shadows on the basis of suspicions and assumptions.
“I think quite frankly that he is not going to stop any investigations against any member of his cabinet. But should that investigation lead to conviction in courts, I assure you even before President Buhari ask them to resign, such a person would have brought a letter of resignation. The President cannot intervene and I assure you in a matter before the court on behalf anybody including his own child.”
Commenting on the suggestion in some quarters that the anti-corruption war of the present administration is lopsided and selective in nature, the APC stalwart responded: “What did you expect the President to do? President Buhari has made it clear, even during his recent interview in New York, he said would not be interfering with judicial process or procedures and he will wait to see when a court makes a decision on anyone, that is now when he will respect the decision of the court.
“And when you are talking about people who have contributed to his emergence as President, I do not expect anybody who contributed to the emergence of President Buhari in the last general election to do so because they wanted cover from corruption prosecution. If anybody thinks that way, I want to say that President Buhari is not thinking that way.”
Meanwhile, former Rivers state governor and a ministerial nominee, Rotimi Amaechi ,had been having running battle with his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike.
Wike had said that the ex-governor emptied the state treasury before leaving office in May 29 an allegation Ameachi had repeatedly dismissed saying that Wike is only out to drag his good name through the mud.
In the latest verbal exchange, Ameachi was quoted to have told Wike to go to court if he had any case of alleged corruption against him.
The former governor on Saturday, October 10, stated that the Rivers state judicial commission of inquiry instituted by Governor Wike lived up to its expectations as “a shambolic inquisition panel” to indict him.
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