The Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) has alerted Nigerians of “desperate efforts” by the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to divert attention
from the stench of monumental corruption in its government.
PDP said it has noted the
blackmails, intimidation and threats coming from government quarters, in a bid
to frustrate whistleblowers and truncate on-going uncovering of widespread
corruption in ministries, departments and agencies, under the APC administration,
for which Nigerians cannot wait to see the exit of this party of horrendous
looters.
The spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan,
in a statement on Wednesday, said one of such antics by this administration was
the Tuesday, July 28, 2020 press conference by the Minister of Information, Lai
Mohammed, wherein he dared Nigerians, particularly whistleblowers, despite
revelations of rampant corruption virtually in all aspects of government under
the APC.
He stressed that PDP was not
surprised that this corrupt administration resorted to distortion of facts and
daring of citizens when its officials from the top to the bottom are all soiled
in the foul potage of corruption.
“It is ridiculous that this
administration seeks to claim credit for the investigation and unearthing of
fraud in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when it is already
public knowledge that the investigation only came as a result of pressure
mounted by our party and other Nigerians. This is more so as the corruption in
the EFCC under the APC had reached an embarrassing crescendo that it could no
longer be concealed.
“We challenge the APC federal
government to give account of the N800 billion, which Lai Mohammed claimed to
have been recovered, especially given allegations that recovered monies have
been re-looted and shared among topmost officials of the Buhari administration
and APC leaders. Rather than resorting to false performance claims, the
expectation of Nigerians is that this administration would have sent Lai
Mohammed to apologise for this display of gross abuse of position especially as
it relates to the fight against corruption.
“We further invite Nigerians to
note that Lai Mohammed, in his press conference, admitted that he could not go
into the details of the various corruption issues in the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC), the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF),
EFCC and other agencies. Our party holds that this is an evasion of gory tales
of direct stealing, treasury looting and barefaced embezzlements by government
officials and APC leaders as already exposed in on-going investigations at the
National Assembly and at the presidential panel.
“With this shocking suppression
of information related to corrupt practices, by no other person than the
minister of information, Nigerians and the world at large are no longer in
doubt that concealment of corruption in ministries, department and agencies is
an official policy of the APC administration because their leaders are
involved. This is the same reason the APC and its government had suppressed the
prosecution of officials indicted in the N90 billion stolen from the Federal
Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in which top members of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) were mentioned.
“This is in addition to the suppression of
prosecution of APC leaders involved in the reported looting of N33billion from
the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the stealing of over N18
billion from the rehabilitation of IDPs in the Northeast as well as the over
N25 billion from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) among others. Of
course, the APC has not denied that it is the headquarters of corruption and
also had nothing to say to reports by reputable international organizations,
including the Transparency International (TI) that corruption had worsened
under this administration.
“If the Buhari administration is
indeed fighting corruption, Nigerians wonder why it has not addressed the
involvement of APC leaders in the alleged looting of over N14 trillion,
including the N9.6 trillion ($25 billion) as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo;
the over N1trillion worth of crude oil using 18 unregistered companies linked
to APC leaders as well as the sleaze in fraudulent oil subsidy regime. We also
challenge the minister of information to inform Nigerians why this
administration has failed to address the direct allegation by the First Lady,
Aisha Buhari, that the N500bn meant for Social Investment Program under this
administration was diverted to private purses.”
“Furthermore, we challenge Lai
Mohammed to name those behind the $2.5 billion (N1.175 trillion) Chinese Gates
oil theft scandal, in which officials of this administration were alleged to
have been involved. We also challenge the minister to name those behind the
looting in NEMA, NHIS, FIRS North East Development Commission and the NDDC.
Moreover, in doing that, Lai Mohammed should also offer some explanations on
his alleged role in the reported National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) N2.5
billion fraud, for which Nigerians had demanded his investigation by the ICPC.”
PDP said Nigerians have not also
forgotten how the nation was defrauded with a fictitious Nigeria Air which only
flew on the internet under the watch of this administration.
It added that Nigerians already
know that due to the level of corruption, the eight years of this administration
will end up as a wasted era and failure on the economy, security, education,
healthcare, urban development and other critical sectors.
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