PDP TO NASS: Probe presidency for alleged diversion of looted funds

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told the National Assembly on Saturday to save the nation by probing the presidency following fresh reports of an alleged plot to divert the $308 million recovered from the family of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha and repatriated to the country by the United States.

The party said in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, that the recent revelation has further exposed the fact that the administration has been living a lie and parading as saints with a false anti-corruption posturing.

The PDP said the call was predicated on “the stinking reports by the US Department of State that the government plots to funnel the repatriated money to certain individuals connected to the Presidency, including a particular state governor allegedly involved in the initial looting of the money.”

The statement read: “The PDP calls on the National Assembly to immediately redeem the image of our nation by invoking its statutory instruments to order a forensic investigation into the handling of repatriated funds given a huge corruption that have pervaded the presidency.

“The PDP says the report that the Buhari-led government has been blocking attempts to recover part of the looted funds traced to Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, the Chairman of All Progressives Congress Governors’ Forum, who was reportedly indicted by the US for allegedly helping in transferring billions of dollar out of the country during the military era, speaks volumes of the corruption and concealments going on in the Buhari presidency.

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“Moreover, further revelations in the report that instead of recovering the stolen money, the federal government is even in the process of funneling $100 million (N36.3 billion) out of the looted funds to Governor Bagudu, highlights the humongous sleaze, duplicity and treachery that pervade the Buhari administration.

“From the report, it is clear that the Buhari presidency has further smeared itself, and no longer commands the trust and confidence of stakeholders within and outside the country in its fight against corruption.

“There are already apprehension in the public space of huge complicity and patronizing of corruption under President Buhari’s watch, which is directly responsible for our worsening corruption rating, a comatose economy, hardship and untold suffering which had turned our nation into the world’s poverty capital.

“The PDP holds that the failure of the Buhari presidency to give a direct response to the issues raised by the US Department of State only validates the widely held position within and outside our country that the administration is not only irredeemably corrupt but also serves as a haven for corrupt individuals.”

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