…Says Buhari Promotes, Endorses Corruption
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urges the Senate to further give
credibility to its ministerial screening by sending the names of the
nominees to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The party says the screening exercise must have enabled the Senate to
further confirm that many of the nominees presented to it by President
Muhammadu Buhari include 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.
Furthermore, the PDP notes 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.
This is particularly as President Buhari had asserted that he would only
nominate persons he knows “personally”.
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.
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 cursory look into the allegations of
bribe-for-ministerial-slot, making the rounds in the public space, the
PDP said the Senate must 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 repositioned PDP has demonstrated this determination in our
nominations for leadership positions in our party at all levels.
The Senate is therefore urged 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.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
