By Ummi Ismaeel,
Minna
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger State, Mr. Jonathan Tsado Vatsa, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government of Nigeria not to provide cover but to ensure that the findings of the investigation panel investigating the suspended chairman of the, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu is made public.
Vatsa said that it would be another credibility test for the Buhari administration, as Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the outcome of the ongoing investigation into all financial dealings of the suspended EFCC chairman.
“Anything short of coming out clean in the handling of the EFCC chairman’s case and not carpeting him will determine the way and manner Nigerians will regard President Buhari and this his anti-corruption crusade at different fronts,” he said.
Vatsa, in a statement titled, “Now that the hunter is being hunted: Where is the fight against corruption”, described Magu’s probe as an embarrassment not only to the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administration but Nigerians in general.
“This is a clear indication that monumental corruption is going on in high places under this administration. It is quite disturbing because the only qualification that brought APC to power in 2015 was integrity but the corruption in the system today is very scaring,” Vatsa said.
Vatsa, a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State said that he used to be among many Nigerians that so much believed in President Buhari, noting however that some of the traits that endeared him to many Nigerians have long become a thing of the past with unfolding events in Nigeria today.
While insisting that there should not be preferential treatment in the fight against corruption, Vatsa said. “I urge the federal government to ensure that the outcome of the probe panel on Magu is made public for Nigerians to see. That is the only way Nigerians can believe and have confidence again in the anti-corruption war of this Buhari government”.
He further argued, “The anti-corruption war of this Buhari led government has lots of credibility questions deserving answers because of the way and manner it is being prosecuted hence my position that this Magu thing will be an opportunity for the government to re-build confidence in Nigerians by making its findings public”.
The former Niger Publicity Secretary of the APC therefore urged the federal government to ensure that all those involved in the diversion of the alleged looted funds under Magu as the EFCC boss be exposed and made to face the law.
“Nigerians are waiting anxiously for the outcome of the investigation and the next line of action on this Ibrahim Magu as the EFCC helmsman”, Vatsa said as he also said that the laws establishing the EFCC be re-visited.
The former commissioner suggested that the laws establishing the EFCC must be revisited due to past experiences whereby most past chairmen ended same way and the current structure whereby the Nigerian police are at helms of affairs, “nothing can be achievable.”