Time for recovery of looted funds, not truth commission – APC

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The All Progressives Congress has dismissed calls by the Peoples Democratic Party for the establishment of a National Truth Commission, saying it is time for probes, justice and recovery of slush and looted funds.

The PDP had made the call for the truth commission in a statement on Sunday, while accusing the Buhari-led administration of being selective in its anti-corruption war. It also called for a probe of how the campaigns of both parties for the 2015 general elections were funded.

But the National Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, said in a statement on Monday in Abuja that it would not relent in its anti-corruption war.

Buni said the body language of the PDP as contained in its statement showed that it “it is uncomfortable with the ongoing probe of some of its stalwarts who are being investigated for looting the treasury.”

He said, “The opposition party must realise that the day of reckoning has come. There is no more hiding place for corrupt elements which it harbours in large number.

“The APC wishes to place on records in clear terms that the President Muhammadu Buhari is focused, unwavering, non-selective and ready to fast-track the trial of corrupt public officers.

“Only the guilty ones are jittery and unconvinced that the war is winnable. Under six months in office, President Buhari’s administration has put some public officers on trial across party lines.”

The APC scribe urged the opposition party to rather than find faults with the APC’s anti-corruption agenda, which has received international rating, the PDP should “remove the moth in its eyes by prevailing on some of its high-ranking members, who are under investigation, to cooperate with relevant agencies.”

The APC urged Nigerians not to be swayed by the latter day anti-corruption recipe of the PDP, which it said were mere diversionary tactics to earn undeserved sympathy after its government had grounded the Nigerian economy.

On the call for a probe of the APC’s presidential election campaign finances, Buni said, “The PDP knew that the APC fought and won its electoral battle basically on the goodwill of the masses.

“We did not fund our campaign with slush or corrupt funds; we challenge the opposition to provide evidence to the contrary.

“The 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act have provided guidelines on campaign funds. We are ready to account for every kobo spent any time we are requested to do so.

“We are a party noted for managing scarce resources; we are not a wasteful party like the PDP.

“The APC governors were not compelled to finance our presidential campaign under any guise. And no one has been made a minister in this government to cover up slush funds used for President Buhari’s campaign.”

Source: Punch