Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Alhaji Maitama Sule, has advocated that public officers convicted of looting public funds should be banned from partaking in partisan politics and holding public office.
Sule, who made the call in Kano, yesterday, said the ban should be backed by law passed by the National Assembly.
“But this will be possible when there is a law to back it and we hope the law will be enacted soon to support the idea,” he said.
He noted that public officers now fear the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“EFCC has done extremely well in the discharge of its responsibilities so far, as there are a lot of recovered looted funds now. But the biggest challenge for EFCC is that it can investigate but it does not have the power to spend money and utilise it for other purposes,” he pointed out.
The elder statesman also called for an enabling law for the government to utilise the recovered looted funds to improve the living standard of Nigerians.
He suggested the revitalisation of education, agriculture and the power sectors in order to give the nation’s moribund industries a new lease of life using the recovered funds.
Sule commended President Muhammadu Buhari for tackling insurgency, especially in the North-East.
“We have to thank God Almighty for the peace that has since been restored in the country and we will continue to pray for its sustenance.
“No meaningful development can be achieved in any country without peace, and even the most diehard cynics know that President Buhari has done well in terms of restoration of peace in the country,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to continue to support and show understanding to the government in its determination to restore sanity to the country.
