The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s ongoing anti-corruption campaign.
Secretary of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, in a chat with journalists at the party’s secretariat on Friday, said the party would support any leader who is ready to rid the nation of corruption.
Senator Jibrin spoke in the backdrop of the ongoing corruption and money laundering trial of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and other PDP chieftains.
According to him, the party would support every legal measure put in place to recover funds from those who looted the treasury, adding however that the process must respect the rule of law.
“The BoT of the PDP does not condone corruption in any form. Anyone found guilty should be dealt with according to the laws of the land. We are in support of any leader who is ready to rid the country of corruption,” the BoT scribe said.
Senator Jibrin however cautioned against what he described as stigmatization of the PDP as a party of corrupt people and selective prosecution of the anti- graft war.
“It is wrong for anyone to say everybody in PDP is corrupt. Corrupt people are everywhere in the country. They are in every sector of the national economy and their activities have given Nigeria a negative image in the eyes of the international community.
“So it is the duty of every Nigerian to support the fight against corruption. But due process must be followed, in line with the laws of the land,” Jibrin added.
The party chief disclosed that the BoT members will meet on January 14 where a substantive BoT chairman will emerge.
The position is currently being occupied by Dr. Bello Hailru Mohammed in acting capacity, following the resignation of Chief Tony Anenih in July.
According to him, the three months stipulated by the party’s constitution for any occupant in acting capacity and one month period of grace had since elapsed.
He added that the meeting will also discuss the ongoing corruption trial of some of the party’s chieftains, with the view to taking a common position on the matter.
Senator Jibrin added that other court cases arising from the conduct of the last general elections will also be discussed.
The BoT meeting held on Friday failed to form the needed quorum. Jibrin attributed it to the inability of many of its members to connect flights to Abuja as a result of inclement weather.
He also cited what he described as very crucial party activities going on in states like Ekiti, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers which prevented some BoT members from attending the meeting.
