The presidential flag bearer of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has said he will probe and retrieve every penny stolen by the past government if elected as president in the 2023 election.

Nigerian human rights activists and the founder of Sahara Reporters Newspaper made the statement via his verified Twitter page on Saturday.

This is coming barely 24 hours mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, the presidential candidate said if elected his administration would not probe past government.

Wakadaily gathered that mr Obi noted in an interview on Friday, “As for probing the past government, let me tell you: you see me argue that you can’t close your shop and be chasing thieves, those who only look at yesterday and today will miss tomorrow. God did not give us eyes at the back, mine is to look forward.

“If you come into the government today and decide to stop the leakage first, you will get more. I am not going to be part of any form of victimisation or witch-hunt, it won’t happen. Nigerians must live within law and order,” he added.

Unlike mr Obi, Sowore tweeted “As President of Nigeria, I will probe and retrieve every penny stolen by past Nigerian rulers, those who’ve murdered innocents and deprived them of a bright future. If we could be retrieving money from dead and buried Sanni Abacha, we should retrieve from living legendary thieves.”