The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly attempting to cover its alleged complicity in the looting of repatriated funds as well as defending an alleged plot by its
leaders and the cabal in the Presidency to plunder the recently repatriated $311 million.
The PDP however said that it was not surprised that the APC was serving as “the mouthpiece of corruption and sleaze, given that it holds
the medal in deceit, propaganda, concealment of fraud and as a sanctuary of corrupt individuals, international scammers, certificate forgers and
looters of repatriated funds.”
Instead of seeking to divert attention, the opposition party said the ruling party “should face the issue and respond to the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who alerted the nation that the APC administration’s N500 billion Social Investment Programme is a guge scam and that bulk of the money did not get to the designated poor;
a fraud for which the APC remains indicted.”
A statement by the national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “Our party further challenges the APC to respond to the report of the US Department of State, which exposed the plot by the APC administration to divert $100 million of the repatriated fund to the Chairman of APC
Governor’s Forum, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.,”
Insisting that the ruling party was not clean, PDP further said:
“Moreover, it is on record that the APC has not been able to point to any project executed by its administration despite the stream of repatriated
money channeled to it.
“It is not for nothing that the APC has been riotous since our party busted its fresh plot to loot the repatriated $311 million, and had resorted to vituperations, insults, threats and unfounded accusations against well-meaning Nigerians. It is because our insistence on transparency and accountability in the handling of the funds has ended their re-looting ploys.
“Nigerians have continued to witness how the APC and officials in the Buhari Presidency have been stuttering and stammering on national
television since the plot to steal the money was exposed.
“We are already aware of their desperate plans to unleash heavily paid hack writers and spin doctors to assist in diverting public attention
and blackmailing patriotic individuals and groups demanding for accountability in the handling of the fund.
“It is even more distressing that officials of the APC administration are already compromising the sovereignty of our nation by attempting to
transfer the powers of appropriation of our national resources from our National Assembly to foreign powers, just to conceal the plot to siphon”
the money.
“Such unpatriotic action is not only reprehensible but also completely repugnant.
“The power to appropriate our national resources is only vested on our National Assembly and cannot be surrendered to any foreign power under any guise.
“It is on record that such national betrayal never happened under PDP administrations where all funds, including repatriated funds were
transparently handled in compliance with our extant financial rules.
“Our party therefore demands that the $311 million be immediately directed to the Federation Account for proper appropriation in line with
our laws.
“The PDP strongly charges the National Assembly to get ready to use its legislative instruments against the APC-led government, should the
repatriated fund be dissipated in any manner other than as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
