The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has once again challenged Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to stop bandying figures and name the three persons he claimed stole the sum of $3 billion under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The party threw the challenge on Wednesday in a statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbodiyan.
The party says the Vice President’s standing and his professional calling – a professor of law – and “patriotism demands that he should not make unsubstantiated claims but to place the names of such Nigerians in public.”
“The PDP also expects Prof Osinbajo to take such names to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), if truly such Nigerians exist.
“The PDP holds that it is particularly improper for the occupant of the exalted office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to engage in smear campaign and making unsubstantiated statements just for political reasons.
“That, our party believes, is descending to the public arena and the PDP, once again, cautions the Vice President to desist from making frivolous statements just to curry political support.
“We therefore urge Vice President Osinbajo not to join President Muhammadu Buhari in de-marketing our dear nation in a bid to score cheap political points and divert public attention from their failure in governance.
“Indeed, we had expected the Vice President to show leadership by naming those he claimed stole $3 billion and making moves to ensure that the amount is recovered, instead of bandying figures at public events.
“Finally, Nigerians would want Prof. Osinbajo to address the issue of colossal corruption under the Buhari administration, particularly in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), an agency under his purview and which is currently being investigated on issues related to the handling of N18 billion emergency intervention fund.”
