PDP challenges Buhari on open inquest of N11.5trn fraud
By The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to submit himself for an independent inquest into his handling of fraud worth N11.533trillion in the present administration.
The party gave the breakdown of the amount to include: N1.4 trillion oil subsidy regime, alleged N15 billion stolen from the NHIS, N18 billion stolen from the PINE initiative, alleged leaked memo of N9 trillion corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC, reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude last year among others.
It also wondered why indicted officials of the President have not been arrested and prosecuted.
It also called for investigation into the alleged complicity of the Presidency in other exposed financial impropriety by cronies of the government, particularly in revenue collecting agencies.
According to the party, inquest into the oil subsidy regime, which is already backed by state governors across board, will not only expose humongous corruption but also show the world that African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption champion had not been totally spotless.
In a statement on Sunday by Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary, it accused President Buhari of corruption over the fuel subsidy regime of his government.
The President also doubles as Minister of Petroleum Resources.
The statements reads: “We invite Nigerians to note that the demand by governors to probe all subsidy deals since 2015 is a direct indictment on President Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum, particularly, following allegations that the stolen funds are being warehoused to fund his 2019 re-election bid and the opulent lifestyle in the Presidential Villa.
“The party notes that if President Buhari allowed the inquest, it will reveal how our president, who had queried the genuineness of the oil subsidy payments by PDP administration and described the process as a fraud, had secretly engaged in underhand oil subsidy deals.
“Nigerians will also understand how the cost of fuel geometrically rose from the PDP subsidized cost of N87 to N145, representing a criminal N58 tax, per liter of fuel.
“Nigerians recall that it took over two years of secret oil subsidy deals under President Buhari, before it was exposed last December.
“Since then, the Presidency and the NNPC have been seeking ways to cover the fraud which include claims that local consumption suddenly jumped from 28 million liters per day to 60 liters per day.
“PDP considers this as a fabrication to retire the billions being stolen as subsidy, even when statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics and the reality of the retarded purchasing power of citizens, under the prevailing economic recession, do not validate such claims.
“Nigerian therefore deserve to know who authorised the payments and the identity of the beneficiary companies, if any.
“The PDP is happy that state governors across board and the National Assembly are on the same page with our party in condemning the humongous fraud going on under President Buhari’s fuel subsidy”.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
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