The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the list of alleged “looters” published by the federal government as “hollow and laughable.”
PREMIUM TIMES published the list released by the information minister, Lai Mohammed, earlier on Friday. Mr. Mohammed mentioned the PDP chairman, Uche Secondus, and five others as having benefitted from corruption of the immediate past Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The PDP, however, dismissed the list in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Friday in Abuja.
It described the list as an extension of federal government’s media trial and challenged it to come up with names of its members against whom the government had secured convictions.
Mr Ologbondiyan stated that the list put forward by the federal government as purported looters amounts to a cheap blackmail, saying that none of those listed have been indicted or convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction or any panel of enquiry in the country.
The PDP said the list only revealed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the presidency have no proof of corruption against the PDP.
The party added that in its “frenzy and desperation”, the federal government even included names of individuals who were not standing trial or under investigation for any act of corruption, as well as people not even PDP members.
“The APC Federal Government has manifested its frenzy by going after matters that are in court and in which none of the persons have been convicted.”
The party said the APC government did so to divert attention from the heavy looting involving its members.
“We are not in doubt that the individuals he has mentioned will take their legitimate stride and pursue appropriate action in the court.
Mr Ologbondiyan added that it was unfortunate that the APC and its government under whose watch horrendous sleazes were happening on daily basis.
He noted that the APC led government which had failed to fulfill the littlest of its campaign promises, could spend a wholesome three years searching for flimsy allegations to discredit PDP and its members.
“This is a government that is yet to account for $26 billion (N9 trillion) stolen through corrupt oil contracts in the NNPC, N1.1 trillion worth of crude diverted to service APC interests, N18 billion Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention fund stolen by APC officials.
“This include the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, the N10 billion National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for which members of the Buhari cabal were indicted.
“This includes the Mainagate, where the APC government recalled and reinstated an individual indicted for scam running into billions of naira.
“This is in addition to cover provided for serving ministers indicted for corrupt enrichment, among whom is a prominent former APC governor from the South South, who was indicted by his state for stealing billions of naira to fund President Buhari’s campaign in 2015.”
He emphasised that the PDP was on a rebound, saying allegations by the APC could not stop it from challenging the federal government to fulfill its campaign promises.
“Since, the APC has decided to draw this attack, we will no longer hold back but appropriately commence a serialisation of all looters hiding in APC and the Presidency,” he said.
Among those listed at a news conference on Friday in Lagos by Mr Mohammed was the PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus, who was alleged to have, on February 19, 2015, received N200 million from the office of then NSA
“Then PDP Financial Secretary on the 24th of October 2014, he took N600 million only from the office of then NSA.
“Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh, who is on trial for collecting N1.4billion from the office of then NSA.
“Dr Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications – On trial for taking N2.1 billion from the office of then NSA
“ Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei – On trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies
“Former President Jonathan’s Cousin Robert Azibaol – on Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for collecting $40 million from the office of then NSA,” Mr Mohammed listed.
Mr Mohammed released the list after the ruling party was dared by the PDP to do so following corruption allegations made by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo against the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
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