The Nationalist Party’s administrative committee on Sunday unanimously approved a motion moved by party leader Bernard Grech, calling on former MP Jason Azzopardi to substantiate claims he made on social media.

On Saturday, the former MP took to Facebook to claim that he had stopped a donation that was being made in exchange for a pardon for the donor’s relative.

The PN has been in opposition since 2013.

Questioned about the claim on NET TV, Grech on Sunday categorically denied the party had received such funds, and said he had called for an urgent council meeting at 4pm.

In a statement after the meeting, the party said Azzopardi had been given 24 hours to substantiate his claim with the party’s ethics commission.

It noted that it had such a commission, which had the power to act, investigate and decide, for such circumstances.