CNPP Tasks Jonathan Over Recovery Of $400bnLooted Fund

onference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, yesterday, called on
President Goodluck Jonathan to make a "blanketrequest" for the
recovery of over $400 billion Nigeria's looted fund.
CNPP in a communique signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr.
Osita Okechukwu, following a meeting in Enugu, said: "Whereas we
applaud the recovery of fund looted by the late Head of State, General
Sani Abacha, we demand, as a matter of urgent national importance,
that President Goodluck Jonathan requests for blanket recovery of over
$400 billion fleeced off our treasury in the last two decades."
The group said the call was sequel to the report by the Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke,
that the Federal Government had recovered about N5.5 billion (£22.5
million) and that negotiation had reached advanced stage to recover
N36.7 billion (175 million euro) of Abacha looted fund.
"President Jonathan should utilise the window opened by the United
Nations Convention Against Corruption, which bounds countries to
render mutual legal assistance in gatheringand transferring evidence
and Chapter V of the Convention which made asset recovery explicitly a
fundamental principle of theconvention.
"Our investigation within the diplomatic circle shows that
ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, only requested for Abacha loot
and turned blind eye to the other looters.
"We demand that a blanket request be made, for we need the billions of
dollars to invest in critical infrastructure, revamp our decayed
social services and stem gross unemployment,"CNPP said.
The group, however, expressed its sadness over the selective approach
in the loot recovery process, which looked more of a vindictive
venture than war against corruption.
"The selective approach sends wrong signals within and outside our shores."
CNPP therefore appealed to the Federal Government to ensure effective
liaison and communication with targeted countries to hastenthe
recovery of funds siphoned from the nation's treasury.