By Ishaya Ibrahim
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of diverting attention from First Lady Aisha Buhari’s allegation that the Federal Government’s N500 billion Social Investment Programme is a scam.
The opposition political party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the APC ought to have responded to the First Lady’s allegation that the bulk of the money did not get to the designated poor instead of resorting to deceit.
“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.
“No! The APC would not attempt to make the littlest of response because its hands are heavily soiled with looted funds.
“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, ” the PDP alleges.
It added: “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, ” the PDP said.
The party said the power to appropriate Nigeria’s national resources is only vested on the
National Assembly and cannot be surrendered to any foreign power under any guise.
The PDP was responding to the conditions given to the government for the release of the looted funds.
“It is on record that such national betrayal never happened under PDP administrations where all funds, including repatriated funds we’re 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 it’s 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), ” the PDP said.
