No safe haven in APC for corrupt PDP defectors – Keyamo
The defections of corrupt politicians from other political parties into the the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, will not shield them from prosecution under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Mr Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and spokesman for President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization made this declaration in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, during a Symposium entitled “Corruption: An issue in Nigeria’s Development crisis”.
Keyamo, who has been a prosecution lawyer for the the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, further said that because of the doggedness of Buhari in fighting corruption headlong, some politicians who derroneously thought that defecting from other parties into the ruling APC could shield them from prosecution had been disappointed because they still faced the law.
He cited the examples of former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and others who were jailed.
“Unlike during the previous administration when there were calls from the presidency on EFCC chairmen to hands off investigation of party loyalists, President Buhari does not do that. Once you have a case of corrupt, no matter how close you are to the President he never interfered.”
The Senior Advocate also revealed that the recoveries of the loots from corrupt Nigerians were part of the monies used in funding the 2018 federal budget.
Also speaking on the efforts of EFCC in fighting corruption, the Chairman of the anti graft agency, Ibrahim Magu, who was represented by the head of Operations, Usman Muktar, said that the agency secured 703 convictions, of over N790 billion; over 261 million dollars, over 8 million Euros and over £1.5 million pounds.
In addition to cash recoveries, properties like 407 mansions, exotic cars, petrol filling stations and St Solomon Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos.
On the accusations that the fight had been focused on the executive at the federal and state levels leaving out the Judiciary, Magu said some judges were on trial and that a Senior Advocate has been convicted.
He called on Nigerians to avail themselves of the whistle-blower policy to expose corruption and also make huge money from the percentage of recovered funds.
