The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration to tell Nigerians what they know about the N9 trillion ($25 billion) contract scam allegedly perpetrated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under their watch.
Addressing a press conference on Monday with the theme, “Where Is President Buhari’s fight against corruption?”, the party urged the President to come clean and live up to his name as ‘Mr. Clean’ by throwing more light on the N48 billion meant for the upkeep of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) but which was allegedly diverted by officials of government.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan who addressed journalists at PDP national secretariat yesterday described the Buhari-led Presidency of providing cover for corrupt elements in government while simultaneously harassing opposition figures under the guise of fighting corruption.
“The PDP challenges President Buhari to explain why his anti-corruption fight has not been extended to investigate the corruption from the leaked memo detailing alleged underhand oil contracts to the tune of N9 trillion ($25billion dollars) at the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, which are under the direct supervision of President Buhari as Minister of Petroleum Resources. Why has investigation into this scam been suppressed?
“The PDP challenges the Buhari Presidency and the APC to explain to the world why his anti-corruption fight has not been extended to the internationally reported diversion and alleged stealing of N18 billion out of the N48 billion approved by the National Assembly for the rehabilitation of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and rebuilding of six northeast states ravaged by insurgency in the 2017 budget,” he said even as he took a swipe at the Commander-in- Chief for his style of leadership in the past three years.
“Can the Presidency and the APC claim to be unaware of the motion by Senator Baba Kaka Garba from Borno Central, who exposed how persons, known to have connections with the APC, fraudulently cornered N1.2bn from the Federal Government under the guise of supplying items to the IDPs?”
Ologbondiyan also tasked President Buhari in his capacity as substantive minister of petroleum resources to speak up on the secrecy surrounding subsidy payment for Premium Motor Spirit, noting that the N58 fuel tax being paid by Nigerians under his stewardship called for soul-searching.
He said, “The PDP challenges President Buhari to explain to Nigerians whose interest he is protecting by refusing to allow an independent inquest into the alleged corruption in the handling of the N1.4tn oil subsidy regime allegedly involving officials at the Presidency, particularly those benefiting from alleged N58 hidden tax per liter which Nigerians have continued to bear since the fuel price increased from PDP subsidised cost of N87 to presumably unsubsidised cost of N145.”
“Can the Buhari Presidency and the APC claim to be unaware of the damning report by the United Nations Development Programme, a public document which detailed how officials were using the bulk of the resources meant for the IDPs on contracts that were found to have immensely benefitted officials of the APC government including the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal?
The PDP also accused Obono-Obla, President Buhari’s Special Assistant on Prosecution and Chairman, Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property and Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun in this regard.
The PDP further said the Presidency was seeking to force “the reopening of the Senate contrary to Section 12 of the Senate Standing Rules for which the Presidency and the APC are offering lawmakers from both chambers an inducement of the sum of $1m each with the aim of impeaching Senate President Bukola Saraki and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu.