April 29, 2018
Press Statement
–
N6bn For Convention: Stop Lying To Nigerians, PDP Tells APC
–
Loading ...The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) charges the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop lying to Nigerians after its governors have been busted for diverting N6bn meant for the development of states under their control to finance their forthcoming national convention.
APC is corrupt. Our investigation reveals that many of the APC governors are being coerced under the orders of the Presidency and the leadership of the party to move in huge sums of money in cash into the APC coffers, bulk of which have already been frittered away by corrupt leaders in the party and agents of the Presidency.
More saddening is that the money is being pulled from funds derived from federal bailouts and other monies budgeted for critical development projects in various communities, many of which have now been stalled, leaving the people deprived and impoverished.
It is appalling that this is the same party and administration that have been accusing others of corruption and publishing fabricated ‘looters’ lists’ just to deceive Nigerians and divert public attention from their sleazes.
We challenge the APC to publish the names of the governors, ministers and other APC political office holders, who have already brought in money as well as inform the nation on why they are moving the money in cash contrary to financial regulations, if the source is not proceeds of corrupt activities.
Up till now, the APC and President Buhari, even in their self-acclaimed transparency and integrity, have refused to open up on the source of funds for their very expensive 2015 presidential campaign, which have been revealed to have been stolen from states under their control. This time, they are again coercing governors to steal money meant for development and payment of salaries to finance their 2019 campaign.
What many Nigerians are yet to know is that the APC actually plans to rake in a total of N14 billion from government coffers, out of which it has already planned to procure expensive cars for their national officers as well as share to their leaders close to President Buhari.
Our inquest shows that the N671 million recently reported to have been stolen from APC account by some national officers who allegedly moved the sum to their private accounts is linked to diverted public funds. There is documentary evidence and the APC has failed to offer explanations to Nigeria on that.
The APC reeks and is completely guilty as it reasonably ought to have known that the funds it has been receiving form part of illegal activities of government officials who have been diverting funds from states and government agencies, particularly the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to fund the wasteful lifestyle of their party leaders and the 2019 re-election bid.
On our own part, the reformed and re-branded PDP, as a political party, remains open and we challenge the APC to declare same.
The APC must end this lame attempt to hide its seething corruption and make haste to refund the diverted funds.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
