PDP senators, APC, Buhari quarrel over anti-graft war

President Muhammadu Buhari and senators under the PDP platform have been bickering over the strategy being adopted by the present administration in its fight against corruption.

While the senators accused the Buhari administration of witch hunting the opposition, the presidency stated that PDP were crying wolf when there was none.

The PDP caucus at a press conference in the National Assembly building alleged that the Department of State Services was coercing officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to be conscripted into plots to undermine the election of PDP officials in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia States.

Senate minority leaders, Godswill, Akpabio, in company of 22 PDP senators expressed concern that the administration’s anti-graft war seemed targeted at the PDP and states controlled by the party.

The allegations were immediately rebuffed by the President who vowed that the unfolding war against corruption would not be tempered by media blitz of a witch-hunt against political interests as he affirmed that only the guilty should have reason to fear.

The assertion of the PDP caucus was also dismissed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who also said that only the guilty have something to fear about the Buhari administration.

Buhari, speaking through his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina rebutted the accusation of the PDP Senate caucus, saying that it was natural for the guilty to be afraid.

He stated that the anti-graft war which was one of the cardinal objectives of the administration would increasingly pick momentum irrespective of the threats against it.

Read also: APC bashes PDP over Election Tribunal matters

Also, APC spokesman, Alhaji Mohammed explained the party’s involvement of the DSS in the prosecution of its election petition.

He said: “Unfortunately for the PDP they have been used to a reign of impunity where court orders are not obeyed. After the years of impunity especially in the last six years, PDP has forgotten that a government will come and that it will keep strictly to the rule of law. The truth of the matter is that it is the PDP in collusion with some INEC officials in Rivers State and at the headquarters of INEC that have been trying to frustrate the APC’s petition in Rivers State”.

The allegation was also dismissed by Senator Dino Melaye who said the DSS was merely doing its work just as he said Buhari’s fight against corruption had not tilted towards one direction to suggest he was witch-hunting select people.

He said during the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, the DSS was reduced to an arm of PDP, where officials were sent to hound members of opposition parties.

Ripples… without borders, without fears

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now