The leadership of the various opposition political parties in Nigeria on Saturday, flayed the alleged attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress, to handle the 2016 budget padding allegation rocking the House of Representatives and insisted that the police must probe the scandal.
The executives of the Accord Party, Action Alliance, KOWA party, Social Democratic Party, Advanced Congress of Democrats and the Labour Party, stated this in separate interviews with Inner room correspondent.
The National Secretary of Accord Party, Nureni Adisa, told inner room that police involvement in the allegation of budget padding in the House of Representatives, was in order, adding that the Federal Government must ensure that justice was done at the end of the probe.
He said, “The Nigeria police’s probe of Dogara and Jibrin is to verify claims and counter claims by parties involved in the budget padding. The Federal Government has the prerogative to investigate the matter. There is nothing out of place in probing those involved in the crisis as long as it is handled in the right way.”
The National Secretary of the Advanced Congress of Democrats, Dr. Breakforth Onwubuya, also threw his weight behind the probe saying none of the lawmakers should be above the law.
He said,“They (Dogara and Jibrin) are not above the law. The police’s probe is in order. There is nothing wrong with it. It is also important people understand that investigation is not prosecution. What I think the police are doing right now is to get to the root of the matter; they are separating wheat from chaff.”
The National Secretary of Action Alliance, Kenneth Udeze, also told Inner room that the party would want the security agency to fully investigate the alleged padding of the budget and bring to book anyone found to have committed a criminal act.
“Yes, I think there should be a probe, even if it is to establish whether an offence has been committed. Of course, this being Nigeria, one is bound to wonder if the investigation will not be a waste of time.” He added.
Similarly, the Presidential Candidate of KOWA Party in the 2015 presidential election, Prof. Remi Sonaiya, also asked the police to go ahead with the probe without further delay.
Likewise, the National Publicity Secretary of Social Democratic Party, Alfa Mohammed advised the police to give the investigation the attention similar to that of the ongoing case of the senate president and that any one found culpable, should be prosecuted.”
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said, “for the sake of clarity and transparency, the security agencies can investigate the allegations and whoever that is found guilty should be prosecuted.”
Also, the President, Civil Liberties Organisation, Igho Akeregha, described as most unfortunate, the fact that the APC was allowing itself to be consumed by the same virus that ate up the Peoples Democratic Party while it held power.
He said, “How can the APC come to power on a strong campaign to change the drift in the country now turn around in under two years to talk of settling alleged stealing of public funds within the party, as a family affair.”
Meanwhile a group, Egalitarian Mission Africa, has asked the Buhari led-administration to see its handling of the padding saga, as a litmus test for its anti-corruption crusade.
The Chairman of EMA, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, in an interview with one of correspondents on Saturday, therefore advised the police authorities handling the issue, to seek legal advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation with a view to prosecuting the culprits.
He said, “The issues raised by Abdulmumin Jibrin in his petition, is a litmus test to know whether President Muhammadu Buhari, was really fighting this corruption. Nigerians will never allow the All Progressive Congress government to sweep the matter under the carpet.
“The police should seek legal advice on the issue from the AGF on what to do. The issue of budget padding is very weighty and everything now lies in the hands of the AGF to advise both the police and president Buhari on what to do on the matter”
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