An anti-corruption group, Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption, GLOCCOLAC, has called on the Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzo Kalu, to resign his position following his conviction by the court.

This was as the group asked the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of a bill seeking establishment of a special court to try corruption cases which it noted was pending before the legislature.

The Director-General of the centre, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Thursday, in commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day, insisted that Kalu must throw in the towel because he cannot give effective representation from prison.

Noting that corruption was a major obstacle in the development of the country, Dr Nwambu said the conviction of the former governor had, again, added impetus to President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption agenda.

Stating that corruption cases should be given accelerated handling, he lamented that justice only came in the case of the trial of Senator Kalu after 12 years.

“There are some other similar cases that have been in court for several years and nobody is doing anything about them. We expect that this long delay may become a thing of the past once this special court becomes operational.

He added, “having said all this, gentlemen of the press, we wish to advise the convicted chief whip of the Senate to honourably resign his seat as Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District.

“It is morally wrong for him as a convict to still represent a people from jail.

“We agree that he has the right to appeal the ruling of the lower court, but we make bold to say here that morally it’s wrong for him to remain the representative of Abia North.

He cannot effectively represent Nigerians from the prison.

“We need not to tell him this, but if he indeed loves the people of Abia north he should throw in the towel.

“We thank President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC for proving that the anti-graft war is non-selective.”

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Muhammed Idris had on December 5, convicted Senator Kalu over alleged N7.6 billion fraud. (Vanguard)

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