The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will not stop corruption probe against any member of the party, including former governors of Rivers and Lagos state Rotimi Ameachi and Babatunde Raji Fashola.
The two former governors who have been accused of corruption are party of 21 nominee awaiting screening at the National Assembly.
Speaking in an interview with some journalists at the weekend in Abuja, APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawan Shuaibu, said if corruption investigation against any of the nominees lead to conviction in courts, the president will not intervene.
“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 would go for it. When it comes to the issue of the choice of people who will serve as ministers in his administration. I believe the until one convicted in the law court, we will be chasing shadows on the basis of suspicions and assumptions.
“If he decides to interpret the laws in the case of people facing investigation, I think he is quite free to go ahead with it.
“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 unbehalf anybody including his own child.
On the allagation that the current anti corruption crusade is being biased in its approach, Shuaibu retorted, ” 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 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 would to say that President Buhari is not thinking that way,”
On the expectations from the APC administration now that the ministers have been appointed, Shuaibu said: ” as soon as the ministers are sworn-in the business of governance will fully commence in ernest and actual implementation of the programmes of government will start off. I understand that a supplementary budget may be sent to the National Assembly for consideration in order to enable government perform it’s functions till the end of the year when next year’s budget will be presented. This is all geared towards ensuring that government takes off in ernest”.
Sen. Shuibu added that “it is not going to be business as usual. We promised Nigerians change and I can assure you that the party will bring about that change in every aspect that we promised Nigeria, security, economy, agriculture, power supply and unemployment.
“It is left for the president to guide the ministers on how he wants them to help him run the business of governance, particularly where people are expecting service delivery”.
