Press Statement
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenges the Buhari Presidency to
lead by example by publishing details of its spending and financial
transactions as an impetus to enforce its financial reporting directives
on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The party also tasks the Presidency to publish details, including the
beneficiaries, the purpose and the amount of each payment, in line with
the Presidential directive to the MDAs.
The PDP says it is not enough for President Muhammadu Buhari to issue
spending directives to MDAs, without his Presidency, which received
billions of naira in budgetary allocation, leading by example.
Nigerians deserve to know how much is allocated to the Presidency, the
various expenditure subheads, process of award of contracts, the
contractors, the beneficiaries, amounts paid and payment system.
Perhaps such would explain why certain individuals who are close to the
Presidency live in ostentatious opulence and flaunt very expensive
lifestyle in the same country where millions of citizens wallow in
abject poverty, hunger, homelessness and disease.
It is worrisome that the Buhari Presidency has failed to make details of
its yearly budget and expenditure public, despite several demands for
openness, which raises anxieties and allegations of huge sleazes and
corrupt concealments against certain officials and cabal in the
Presidency.
The PDP recalls several ugly scenarios around the Presidency, including
that arrest, in October, of a suspected scammer, Abdulrauf Illyasu, who
even enjoyed an office accommodation within the safety and cover of the
Presidential villa.
This is in addition to the arrest of a said confidant of Mr. President,
Nasir Danu, at Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom, for alleged
international passport scam and money laundering while allegedly
ferrying currencies for persons said to be close to the Presidency.
The PDP also reminds Nigerians of the case of the former aide to the
First Lady, Mr. Baba-Inna, arrested for alleged financial fronting as
well as the confession of one Amina Mohammed who, while being paraded by
the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2018, stated in public that
persons close to the Presidency were involved in serial fraud and
looting of public resources under the cover of the some elements in the
Presidency.
The PDP therefore challenges the Presidency to clear these anxieties by
opening up and publishing details of its budget and expenditure for
Nigerians to see.
Signed:
Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary
