Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, yesterday, called on
President Goodluck Jonathan to make a "blanket request" for the
recovery of over $400 billion Nigeria's looted fund.
Rising from a meeting in Enugu, the CNPP in a communique signed by its
National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said: "Whereas we
applaud the recovery of fund looted by the late Head of State, General
Sani Abacha, we demand, as a matter of urgent national importance,
that President Goodluck Jonathan requests for blanket recovery of over
$400 billion fleeced off our treasury in the last two decades."
The group said the call was sequel to the report by the Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke,
that the Federal Government had recovered about N5.5 billion (£22.5
million) and that negotiation had reached advanced stage to recover
N36.7 billion (175 million euro) of Abacha looted fund.
The CNPP said: "President Jonathan should utilise the window opened by
the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which bounds
countries to render mutual legal assistance in gathering and
transferring evidence and Chapter V of the Convention which made asset
recovery explicitly a fundamental principle of the convention.
"Our investigation within the diplomatic circle shows that
ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, only requested for Abacha loot
and turned blind eye to the other looters.
"We demand that a blanket request be made, for we need the billions of
dollars to invest in critical infrastructure, revamp our decayed
social services and stem gross unemployment."
The group, however, frowned on the selective approach in the loot
recovery process, which looked more of a vindictive venture than war
against corruption.
It said: "The selective approach sends wrong signals within and
outside our shores."
CNPP then appealed for effective liaison and communication with
targeted countries to hasten the pace of recovery of funds siphoned
from the nation's treasury.
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