Go After Corrupt Nigerians, Ndume Urges Tinubu

Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue corrupt Nigerians.

Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, also supports the President’s order for all crude oil revenue to be deposited into an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Ndume called for a corruption-free Nigeria, urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign an Executive Order compelling corrupt Nigerians to explain their wealth.

Ndume said the anti-graft agencies should also be empowered to carry out the exercise through an executive order.

The ranking lawmaker stated that if Tinubu is serious about tackling the menace of corruption, he must sign the Executive Order as soon as possible.

He said people, especially the political class, must explain their sources of wealth or forfeit the same to the government.

“The next thing now, if President Tinubu wants to fight corruption, would be to sign an Executive Order on Unexplained Wealth in this country. Let all these people explain where they got their money, including myself. People should stop talking about trivialities or personal issues; they should talk about national issues,” Ndume remarked while commending the President’s action on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

Ndume urged Tinubu to expand the dragnet to include all government agencies that generate revenues.

He said the agencies must not be allowed to keep government funds in commercial banks without proper monitoring, as such funds would be safer under the custodianship of the CBN.

“The President has now ordered that all crude oil sales revenue should be paid into the CBN. That is a very welcome and positive step he has taken, and he should not stop there.

“All agencies of government that generate revenue should pay their money into the consolidated revenue account and, as they present their budget, let them bring it before the National Assembly. That’s what the Constitution says.

“So, what they now want is to make a political issue out of it.

“This decision that Mr. President took is the right decision, it is constitutional, and it should be supported by everybody. That way, it should also apply to other revenue-generating agencies of government. They cannot keep it.

“NIMASA should pay directly like NNPCL into the CRF. The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) should do the same. The Nigeria Customs Service and all other revenue agencies should pay revenues into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, and their accounts should remain with CBN because they can do banking,” Ndume explained.

He added: “So, if they want to withdraw money, they should do so through the CBN. They were doing this before. Don’t go and keep people’s money in commercial banks and do transactions with it. That is it.

“I reiterate my call commending him for asking NNPCL to pay all oil revenue into the Consolidated Revenue account.”