By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, implored the Senate to accord some credibility to the ongoing ministerial screening by sending the names of the nominees to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The opposition party said that was the most logical thing to do since the screening exercise must have enabled the lawmakers to find out that many of the nominees presented to it by President Muhammadu Buhari included individuals “who as former governors and ministers, wrecked their states and ministries and have serious allegations of corruption, abuse of office and stealing of public funds hanging on their necks.”
The statement by the party’s national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, further noted that “the nomination of persons with
corruption badges to serve in the federal cabinet has overtly established the fact that President Buhari not only condones but also explicitly promotes corruption, which has escalated into a state art since he assumed office in 2015.”
Taking a swipe at Buhari’s assertion that he would only nominate persons he knows “personally,” PDP said, “It therefore speaks volumes that the persons Mr. President “personally” knows and has nominated as ministers include such individuals that have been publicly indicted and known to be answering questions as accomplices in on-going corruption cases in various courts.”
Poo-poohing the reappointment of the immediate past minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the statement said: “The PDP calls on the Senate to note that some of the nominees have failed to defend their corruption allegations. This includes a particular former minister from the North Central, who had admitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) of complicity in the N2.5 billion National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fraud case, still pending in court.”
“This is in addition to certain nominees who, as state governors,
swindled their states, fleeced workers and committed several financial
crimes for which they should rather be standing trial, instead of being
rewarded with official protection as ministers.
“Our party notes that the gathering of corrupt persons as cabinet
ministers is a clear pointer to a scheme by the cabal in the Presidency
to further entrench corruption in our nation.”
Urging the Senate to take a look into the allegations of
bribe-for-ministerial-slot, the PDP challenged the Senate to rise to the occasion and ensure that Nigerians are not totally let down.
“The PDP also invites the Senate to note that President Buhari has not
demonstrated any commitment to the fight against corruption and for that
reason, Nigerians now look up to the National Assembly to protect the
nation from the excesses of the Buhari Presidency.”
The party urged the Senate to stand with the people in resisting “the
manipulations of the Buhari Presidency to ensure that only persons with
clean records are cleared as ministers.”
