Ndume demands Executive Order on unexplained wealth

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, on Saturday charged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently issue and sign an Executive Order on Unexplained Wealth into law.

Ndume, who made the call in his address at the University of Ibadan’s 2021 Distinguished Leadership Lecture series, also urged the President to prevail on the National Assembly to fast-track the passage of Proceeds of Crime Bill.

The Senator stressed that the war against corruption must start from the top.

Ndume said: “The fight against corruption is fight for the nation and must start from the top to the bottom. This is what I call: ‘Do it all.’ One should not be mistaken on how good it is to have riches, but toxic riches should be abhorred because it pollutes the society.

“It changes our good culture. It breeds injustice and impunity. Every citizen has a role to play. To this end, there is the need to look at the incidence of corruption, most especially, those occasioned by public officers who are in trust of public wealth.

“Our crusade against this monster should start from the politicians, top public servants, civil servants, down to local government staff. For the perpetrators, it is not difficult to identify the tendencies exhibited by the officers, acquiring landed property in and outside the country, having fat bank deposits, buying expensive cars, or marrying so many wives.

READ ALSO: If you criticize Buhari in Wuse Market, you may not escape alive— Ndume

“The Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) such as Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, Ministers, House of Assembly members, Commissioners and Local Government Chairmen and those directly connected to the finances of government such as Directors of Finance, treasures, accountants and revenue officers are in this category.

“The visibility of the perpetrators is loud in the government – cars, houses, parties, wives, dress, jewelry and so on. All of them are quite visible to the locals, who have the instinct to ask questions.

“Public policy should be guided and in this case, matters of unexplained wealth should be excluded for the application of this provision. The Code of Conduct Bureau has a duty to require every public officer to make declaration of assets periodically.

“So, the fight against corruption is not a one-off fight that can be won at once but a continuous lifetime struggle that we must all join hands to kill the monster right from the cradle anytime it is identified.”

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