PDP orders NASS to directly send N10bn presidential fund to Kogi workers

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the National Assembly to invoke its statutory powers and directly channel the N10.069 billion presidential funds for payment of salaries and pensions of Kogi State workers to them.

President Muhammadu Buhari had written the Nigerian Senate asking it to approve the money for Kogi State.

But in a statement by its national spokesman on Tuesday night, the PDP said that it was “scandalous that the Buhari Presidency, with its claims of transparency and integrity, would seek to mislead the National Assembly by asserting that the fund is for projects done by the state government on behalf of the Federal Government, when in reality no one can point to any such project executed by Governor Yahaya Bello in the last four years.”

The PDP described as endorsement of corruption and inexcusable injury to the people of Kogi State, for President Buhari to seek to direct funds to Governor Bello, for “phantom projects”, and neglect the Kogi workers many of whom are owed salaries and pension in arrears of 36 months.

The statement read, “Such action by Mr. President further confirms that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is directly in league with Governor Yahaya Bello to strangulate the people of Kogi state.

“The PDP holds that if there are no intensions of pushing the fund to Governor Bello for anti-people purposes, the Presidency is challenged to name and point to the particular project executed by Governor Bello as well as make the terms and payment agreements public for Nigerians to see.

“If the Buhari Presidency means well for Kogi state, it should reword its request and put the interest of the masses ahead of all selfish and parochial political considerations, particularly as the state approaches a critical election in which the people have made up their minds to vote out Governor Yahaya Bello.

“Mr. President cannot claim to be unaware of the critical situation of workers in Kogi state. He cannot claim to be unaware that workers in Kogi state are being owed, in some cases up to 36 months, and that retirees and seniors are dying over non payments of their pensions after giving the best of their lives in public service.”

The opposition party, therefore, urged President Buhari to resist attempts by his handlers and Governor Bello to drag his Presidency into the shameful attempt to steal fund that ought to go to the suffering masses in Kogi State.

“Furthermore, the party charges the legislature to be on the side of the people by applying its legislative instruments to commence an immediate investigation into the alleged squandering of over N700 billion Kogi state funds by the Bello administration in the last four years,” the statement added.