The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties ,CNPP has restated its support for president-elect General Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to fight corruption
A statement by Osita Okechukwu ,CNPP spokesman said “We are re-stating our position, because we have noticed some looters of our commonwealth milling around the Defence House, the temporary office of president-elect. To compound matters, pundits are pushing the narrative that GMB should let bye-gone be bye-gone and move on, accommodate all in his cabinet, hence a unity government. The unity government if necessary should be devoid of corrupt men.
“Whereas, courtesy demands that the good, bad and ugly will pay courtesy call on the president-elect; however it is our considered view that some of these looters should be kept at bay. These are the same ignoble men who wittingly misled President Goodluck Jonathan, who grow mega-rich, widen the inequality in the land and pushed the greatest number to abject poverty.
“For us Nigerians voted for GMB on two broad social contract unambiguously stated in his Covenant with Nigerians – Corruption and Security. These are the integrity premium on which our votes are anchored and we take solace on the truism that GMB cannot risk dashing the hopes of Nigerians.
He noted further that “History posits that the past must be probed in order to not only to recover huge billions stolen from our commonwealth; but to also act as deterrent to others, who are lurking in the wings to continue the pervasive corruption in the land.
“On GMB’s pledge in his Covenant with Nigerians to inaugurate the National Council on Procurement, we page with him; albeit we propose that the headship and membership of the Council be amended before composition. Recent experience shows that the absolute powers wielded by the out-going Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala allegedly corrupted her absolutely and made a mess of the two regimes she served in the last decade.
“It was a case of an innocent novice Zoologist entrusting much economic powers on a highly celebrated World Bank Economist and looking the other way, in the hope that she knows best what is good for Nigeria. There is no need to repeat this ugly experiment, because it is too costly and damaging.
“The National Council on Procurement should be headed by those whom the president-elect has implicit confidence on, manning no ministry, department or agency, except the Council. There should no distraction.
“We acclaim his stand-point that he is not endorsing anybody for the principal offices of the National Assembly – viz Senate President, Speaker et al. Endorsement is antithetical to the growth of democracy and distorted our parliamentary democratic practice since our return to civil rule.
CNPP proposed that “ the president-elect works fast with the National Assembly not only to enact law on Whistle Blowers but also to work expeditiously on the imperative to cut cost of governance across the board, which is the costliest in the world.