Arms Deal: Those Guilty Should Be Properly Punished

The national leadership of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) has said it was
wrong to assume that the party was against
President Muhammadu Buahri’s anti-
corruption war.
Speaking in an interview in Abuja, Alhaji
Ibrahim Jalo, the deputy national publicity
secretary of the PDP said the party was not
against the prosecution of those who looted
funds meant for the purchase of arms in the
war against Boko Haram insurgency, The
Punch reports.
According to him rather than tarnish the
party’s name, those guilty of looting the
nation’s funds should be properly punished to
serve as a deterrent to others.
He explained that those who are currently
being investigated by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission for alleged
corruption had not claimed that they received
any money on behalf of the party.
Jalo said: “All of them that received
contracts did so with their personal
companies.
“It will therefore be wrong to assume that the
wrongs of few members of the party were
enough to tarnish the image of the party that
had united Nigerians. PDP remains a clean
party.
“No one had given money to the party. No
money had been traced to the party’s
account. Money meant for the party would
not be given to individuals. ”
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The PDP deputy secretary begged for the
party not to be dragged into the trial of its
members, adding that the accused persons
remained innocent until proven otherwise by
the court.
“We, however, urged the Federal Government
to follow the rule of law and allow the courts
to determine the guilt or otherwise of all
accused persons,” he said.
Jalo noted that former president, Goodluck
Jonathan gave out money for the war
against insurgency and if some people took it
for their personal use, they should be
prosecuted.
Some PDP members are currently being
prosecuted for allegedly benefiting from the
N2.1bn arms deal money meant to procure
arms for the fight against insurgency.
Among those currently facing different
charges before different courts in Abuja are
the acting chairman of the BoT of the party,
Alhaji Haliru Bello ; a former governor of
Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; a
former minister of state for finance, Amb.
Bashir Yuguda; and the founder of Daar
Communications Plc, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi.
Also, Chief Olisa Metuh, the national publicity
secretary of the party is currently being
detained by the EFCC over alleged corruption.
On Tuesday, January 5, officials of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
stormed his Abuja home and whisked him away