The Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded the withdrawal of the presidential nomination of former Adamawa State Governor, Mr. Boni Haruna, as a minister and the reversal of the selection of former Bauchi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu as National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The rights group said the duo should not occupy any public offices until they clear their names of the corruption allegations against them.

HURIWA thumbed down President Goodluck Jonathan for demonstrating “brazen insensitivity to the public agitation for government to reinvent a vibrant anti-corruption battle.” It declared that “the appointment of persons facing indictments of damaging criminal allegations even when several other technocrats without blemish abound, shows how unserious the Nigerian State under the current dispensation is about the hydra-headed monster of corruption.”

In a statement in Abuja endorsed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA urged the Senate “to save Nigeria from the spectacular global opprobrium that has characterised the recent appointment of the duo by turning down the confirmation of Mr. Haruna as a minister.” It also advised Alhaji Mu’azu to quit his post as PDP National Chairman.

HURIWA warned that “the waning anti-graft campaign in Nigeria would be pronounced dead” if this is not done.

The rights group also frowned at “the preeminent positional roles being played by persons with suspicious and bogus financial assets in the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).”

It called on the Nigerian civil society community to “wake up from its slumber, name and shame these reactionary elements in all the political parties who are warming up to deploy their ill-gotten wealth at public cost to manipulate the 2015 general elections.”

•Photo shows ministerial nominee Boni Haruna.

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