Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reforms (PEF) says the jailing of former Gov. Orji Kalu of Abia State was proof that joining the ruling party with criminal case was not a guarantee against justice.
Nwagwu in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that the jailing has faulted the notion that once people with criminal record join the ruling party they were covered.
Kalu was on Thursday convicted of corruption and sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Federal High Court in Lagos after he was found guilty of N7.2 billion fraud and money laundering.
“The judgment is a good boost for the anti corruption fight, especially against the background of all the noise about once somebody is in the All Progressives Congress (APC) the person cannot be brought to justice.
“It is a good signal that even if you join the ruling party you will not clog the will of justice.
“It also signals the fact that no matter how long it lasts, once there is a determination by the court to bring justice, justice would be done.
“We are excited about the judgment and we hope that it is also brought to bear on the Babachir Lawal’s case and other cases of people with criminal record who think that being in the ruling party is a guarantee against justice,” he said
