Senator Ali Ndume has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently sign or issue an Unexplained Wealth Order, as a way to strengthen the fight against corruption.
Ndume made the call over the weekend in Ibadan while delivering the 2021 Distinguish Leadership Lecture Series, organised by the University of Ibadan.
The lecture, with the topic: ‘The Unexplained Wealth and the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria’, was held at the Trenchard Hall of the university.
Ndume, who is the Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Army, also advised Buhari to prevail on the National Assembly to pass the Proceeds of Crime Bill in time “regardless of bickering on the management of the proceeds recovered”.
The senator said there was a need to look at the incidence of corruption, “most especially, those occasioned by public officers who are in trust of public wealth.
He said, “Our crusade against this monster (corruption) should start from politicians, top public servants, civil servants down to local governments’ staff.
“For the perpetrators, it is not difficult to identify the tendencies exhibited by these officers; acquiring landed property in and outside the country, having fat bank deposits, buying expensive cars, or marrying so many wives.”
Ndume further said that the fight against corruption was a fight for the nation and must start from the top to the bottom.
“It changes our good culture, it breeds injustice and impunity, every citizen has a role to play.”
Speaking further on how to address the menace, Ndume said the government must go a step further to protect the whistleblowers.
He said that the whistleblower policy must be revisited; stressing motivation for whistleblowers shouldn’t just be the reward, but patriotism.
According to him, the whistleblowers must be active at all levels, inclusive of local areas, adding that the blowers must not be scared but be protected by law at whatever cost.
He called on relevant anti-corruption agencies such as Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Economic and Financial Crime Commission and Department of State Security to take whistleblowers seriously, carry out investigations on whistleblowing reports, “however casual it may be”.
