From Magnus Eze, Abuja
AN All Progressives Congress (APC) Board of Trustees (BoT) member from South-East, Chief Austine Edeze, yesterday, gave reason why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may not investigate the party’s campaign funds for the 2015 general election.
The party chieftain said there has been no indication that their party funded its campaign from public fund released for particular purposes like the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that buffeted on funds earmarked for arms purchase for the military.
Edeze also accused PDP, under former President Goodluck Jonathan, of looting oil money generated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He said: “Not all campaign funds must be probed; not all campaign funds were illegally amassed. The probe is not because it was campaign fund; it’s because you have taken the money from where you shouldn’t. If you have stolen the money meant to fight insurgency or earmarked for another government project, then you should account for it. So, those being probed are being probed for stealing, not because they spent campaign fund.
“And if you use money from a legitimate source, it would not be probed for the mere fact that it is campaign fund. The issue is the source of the fund, not because it was campaign fund. If the APC got their own campaign funds from legitimate sources, then nothing makes it criminal, because it was used for campaign.”
He commended the president for his determined fight against corruption, noting that under the present administration, there has been no sacred cow.