Arms Deal: Those Guilty Should Be Properly Punished - PDP

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.”
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.