APC CONVENTION: PDP wants INEC not to recognise Oshiomhole as new nat’l chairman

Each of the 24 All Progressives Congress (APC) governors allegedly diverted N150 million each from their states funds to sponsor the party’s national convention, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged.

The party has therefore called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the funds amounting to N3.6 billion which the governors allegedly used to fund last weekend’s convention of the APC.

The party also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise the new APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, as his emergence by affirmation is in violation of democratic requirements of direct voting by delegates.

PDP further accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being complicit in the acts of corruption that have allegedly pervaded his administration and party, and submitted that contrary to claims by cronies, he is practically lacking in integrity.

The PDP national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the positions of the party known while receiving party leaders from his home Kabba/Bunu area of Kogi State, who paid him a solidarity visit at the PDP national secretariat, Abuja on Wednesday.

He said, that “It is unimaginable that while Nigerians are suffering untold economic hardship, including unpaid salaries, due to the misrule of the APC, governors elected on the platform of the APC diverted N150 million each, amounting to a humongous N3.6 billion to fund their wasteful national convention in Abuja.

“Recently, the Brooking Report shows that under President Buhari and APC governors, millions of Nigerians are daily dropping below poverty line. According to the report, Nigeria under Buhari has become poverty capital of the world. There is hunger and starvation everywhere, yet the APC stole N3.6 billion from public coffers to fund its national convention.

“Everybody knows that APC is a party of corruption, that is why their choice of a national chairman is an individual overburdened by allegations of humongous corruption and alleged stealing of public funds, yet enjoying presidential cover, even when the petitions against him at the EFCC is in the public domain.

READ ALSO: Leadership failure led to Plateau killings— Buhari

“The PDP restates the demand that the EFCC immediately commence investigation against Oshiomhole, otherwise, it would have no ground upon which to continue to arrest, investigate and arraign other Nigerians on allegations of corruption”, he said.

The party also said President Buhari can no longer claim to be a man of integrity, as he have been found complicit on acts of corruption in his party and government.

“Each time President Buhari postures as a man of integrity, informed Nigerians shudder. If he is a man of integrity, why is he condoning corruption in his presidency and surrounding himself with corrupt people? Why is he blocking the investigation of Oshiomhole over corruption allegations? Why did he allow looted funds to be used for his party’s national convention? Buhari is not a man of integrity as his handlers want Nigerians to believe”, he said.

In a related development, The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP on Wednesday declared a seven-day mourning for the victims of the gruesome killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State and other parts of the country.

The party’s national publicity secretary made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

“Consequently, the party directs that its flags at all its offices and formation at all levels across the country be flown at half-mast during the period in honour of the victims.

“The PDP urges the people of Plateau state to exercise their rights as global citizens, work with other public-spirited Nigerians and groups and take President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to the International Court of Justice at the Hague for acting helpless in the face of continuous mass killings in our country.

“The PDP firmly holds that the life of every Nigerian is sacred. All Nigerians must be protected whether they are Birom, Basange, Igbira, Tiv, Idoma, Hausa, Igbo, Fulani, Gbagyi, Yoruba or from any other tribe whatsoever.

READ ALSO: KILLINGS: CAN cries out over fresh plot by suspected herdsmen, says 218 killed in Plateau

“The fundamental duty of government all over the world is the protection of lives and we can no longer afford to continue to fold our hands while compatriots are daily hacked down by marauders,” the statement read.

No less than 100 citizens of Plateau State including women and children were on Saturday murdered by suspected Fulani herdsmen, who have continued to terrorise many parts of the country unhindered.

 

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