FG names treasury looters in PDP

 

 

• PDP counters APC, releases list of APC looters

 

The Federal Government on Friday listed names of some members of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) who it alleged  looted the national treasury when the party was in power.

At a media briefing in Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus took N200 million from the office of then National Security Adviser ( NSA ) on Feb. 19, 2015.

It would be recalled that the PDP had challenged the ruling party to name the looters under their watch if they actually know any.

“They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch.

“Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians.

“Let us just give them a teaser with this list: PDP chairman Uche Secondus on the 19th of Feb 2015, took N200 million only from the office of then NSA”

The minister also alleged that PDP Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani on Oct 2014, took N600 million from the office of then NSA

He said that the then party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, is on trial for collecting N1.4 billion from the office of then NSA

Mohammed also revealed that Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications is also on trial, for allegedly taking N2.1 billion also from the office of the NSA

“Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, former SSA to President Goodluck Jonathan, is also on trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies,” he said.

The minister said that a Federal High Court recently ruled that the former President Jonathan’s cousin Robert Azibaola had a case to answer for collecting 40 million dollars from the office of then NSA

“This list is just a tip of the iceberg, and the PDP is aware of this.

“We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available.

“Some of the people on this list are seeking to plea bargain, and that is a fact,” he said

Mohammed continued: “We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP, and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot.

“It is like a robber admitting to stealing your car and apologizing, but then saying he will keep the car anyway. It doesn’t work that way.

“The PDP is a hypocrite, and that reminds me of what English writer William Hazlitt said: ‘The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy’.

“We will not stop talking about the massive looting by the PDP. They brought Nigeria to this sorry pass.

“We are now looking around for loans to build infrastructure, and they ask us not to talk about it. we will talk about it”.

Speaking on whether the position of government was prejudice since they had not been convicted by court, the minister said they were dared by the party  to give the names.

He added that they had enough evidence to prove the allegations against them.

In a swift reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to a list released by the Federal Government indicting its members as ‘top treasury looters’.

The PDP in a press statement by its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, on Friday, March 30, 2018, released a counter list containing Governors, Senators, Ministers and other top All Progressives Congress Chieftains.

Earlier in the day, the Federal Government through the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, released a list containing PDP members who have allegedly looted Nigeria monies.

The statement read in part: “In line with the directive of the ruling APC Government that PDP should return all looted monies for Nigerians to accept our apology, PDP hereby wholeheartedly agrees to abide by this suggestion and will get its members to return the said looted money.

“Accordingly, the following are directed to immediately report to the EFCC with their loots:

“Rotimi Amaechi, Timipre Sylva, Bukola Saraki, Aliyu Wammako, Sullivan Chime, Orji Kalu, Ngige, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abdullahi Adamu, Abubakar Moh’d, Gov. Lalong, Bello Hayatu, Sen. AbdulAzeez Nyako, Sen. Alkali Moh’d, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, Sen. Andy Uba, Sen. Nazif, Sen. Magnus Abe, Engr. Dakuku Peterside, Sen. Silas Zwingima, Sen. Binta Massi, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, Dr. Idi Hong, Adm. Murtala Nyako, Sen. Bello Tukur, Jummai Al-Hassan, Sen. Hunkuyi, Sen. AbdulAzeez Ibrahim, Sen. Adamu Aliero, George Akume, Joshua Dariye.

“Speakers Aminu Masari, Aminu Tambuwal, Yakubu Dogara, Gali Na’abba, Nat Chairmen Barnabas Gemade and Audu Ogbe, COAS Dambazau, Oserheimen Osunbo, Musliu Obanikoro, Adam Oshiomhole, Jim Nwobodo, Govs Atiku Bagudu, Ganduje, Nasir El-Rufai, Ortom, Ishaku Darius, Rochas Okorocha, Bindo Jibrilla, Abubakar Sani Bello, Ahmed of Kwara, Dakingari, Danjuma Goje,  Sen. Lokobiri and Chinweke Mbadinuju.

“While awaiting the publication of more names, I trust Nigerians will now see our sincerity and accept our apology.

In another press statement, PDP also on Friday, threatened to expose individuals in the fold of the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) indicted to have looted their state resources.

It also said that the looted funds were massively deployed for the electioneering campaigns of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last 2015 general polls.

“We will no longer hesitate to go public with the list of indicted individuals in their fold who looted their state resources and deployed such funds to Buhari 2015 Campaign”, the party said.

PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan made this declaration in Abuja through a press statement he made available to newsmen.

This threat may not be unconnected with the latest APC allegation that the PDP national chairman Uche Secondus and former publicity secretary, Olisa Metu were among those who looted the country dry in the immediate past PDP-led federal government.

The party further explained that it had the list of prominent individuals who looted public funds, parading as the war chest of the APC, yet, were provided cover by the Buhari administration.

PDP also asserted that none of its members in their re-branded fold was either convicted or indicted of corruption and looting of any public funds.

The opposition party said the allegation preferred against Secondus and Metu were politically motivated just to smear and discredit the PDP.

Part of statement reads, “we make bold to state that in President Buhari’s cabinet are former APC governors indicted by their states for looting funds belonging to the people, bulk of which were used to finance the President’s 2015 campaign”.

“They believe that they must take revenge on everything. This is why they are going about hounding everybody perceived to hold opinions that are contrary to their interest”.

“This explains why they have continued to keep people like the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) in detention, even after he has been granted bail by the courts and have been after figures like Senate President Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu as well as politicians perceived to be interested in the 2019 Presidential elections.

“It is incongruous and shameful that the Presidency and APC are still engaging in their hypocritical media trial of asking the PDP to refund alleged looted funds, when the world is aware that those who looted the economy are all in the APC where they have become the poster faces of President Buhari and his discredited party”.