Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Executive Secretary of Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Sadiq Radda, said the Federal government has recovered about N900 billion constituency allowances misappropriated by some National Assembly members.
Radda told journalists on the sideline of the 14th Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR) in Maiduguri, Borno’s capital that the amount was allocated to senators and House of Representatives members for the execution of projects in their constituencies. He, however, expressed regret that the money was looted by some NASS members but recovered by the independent Corrupt Practises Commission (ICPC).
“ICPC has recovered about N900 billion constituency projects fund from some National Assembly members,” he disclosed, adding that it was the first time the commission achieved such height.
He said the ICPC had also established a committee on security votes. He said the committee would bring to book, any governor who misappropriated such fund in the name of security vote. “People will be accountable. No governor will go free under the guise of security votes. People must be accountable,” he declared.
He appealed to Nigerians not to buy what he called the antics of corrupt people who tagged the government’s anti-corruption drive as political. He claimed no corrupt persons would see any good in what the government was doing.
“Fight against corruption should not be tagged political because those found and arrested over corruption issues were not on the basis of their parties or religion. It is because of their action while holding public office,” he insisted.
He said the Federal government had also realised that the fight against corruption was largely taking place at the Federal level and had resolved to go to the state level too. “We are developing key interest at the state level,” he disclosed.
He urged Nigerians to be determined in reporting corruption cases. He said both the EFCC and ICPC had mechanisms to protect and reward whistle blowers for their patriotism.
Prof Radda was the chairman at the 14th ACSR in Maiduguri organised by Human Environment Development Agenda (HEDA), an anti-corruption campaigner.