A civil right group, The Peoples Forum, PF, has demanded an immediate and thorough investigation over the alleged funding of the campaign of the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari.
The Forum also called for probe of the purported endorsement of General Buhari for 2015 Presidential election by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).
The spokesman of the Forum, Elias Kaka, said in Lagos on Friday that the probe or thorough investigation of the alleged funding of Buhari’s campaign was necessary despite the denial Buhari Support Group, in order to put the records straight.
“Despite the denial that Buhari’s campaign is not being bankrolled by some unnamed Arab countries, there is the need for thorough investigation on the matter against the backdrop of the extant security challenges and the purported islamization of the country by some faceless groups”, the PF spokesman further said.
It would be recalled that last year, the dreaded religious sect, Boko Haram, had agreed to a dialogue with the Federal Government only if such dialogue be held in Saudi Arabia and the APC presidential candidate Buhari be appointed as an intermediary.
This has raised dust and suspicion of a likely Arab connection.
But the Buhari Campaign Organisation denied ever being funded by any foreign organization, dismissing it as ‘laughable’ reports that he was awaiting funds from unnamed Arab establishments/countries to prosecute his campaign .
Kaka also told our correspondent the recent endorsement by MEND, lend credence to suspicion to the growing concern for further investigation.
“On Tuesday, the spokesman of MEND, Jomo Gbomo, in a statement, claimed that the militant group had endorsed Gen. Buhari for 2015 Presidential election, launching a scorching attack on President Goodluck Jonathan.
“But President Jonathan has dismissed the alleged endorsement of Buhari by MEND, saying no person who means well for the country should be excited by the endorsement of a terrorist organization.
“Despite this, the issues need thorough investigation to set the records straight considering the insecurity challenges the country is being faced and in order to avoid heating up the polity. The election is around the corner, anything that will set the country ablaze must be avoided”, the PF said.