By Akanimo Sampson
The putrefying stench of corruption that has been oozing out of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration since the exit of the largely demonised Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015, is seriously calling the integrity of the retired Army-general and former military dictator to question.
The Buhari military regime aborted the administration of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) under the watch of the late former President Shehu Shagari, on the ground of corruption and decayed social infrastructure.
Since his military dictatorship was terminated in a palace coup by his then Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Babangida, the perception of Buhari by most Nigerians up to 2015, was that of a saint. That perception does not seem to be holding any water today. He does not seem to really be a man of integrity.
Integrity has been defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. This does not seem to be the case with the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration under Buhari’s watch.
The PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party is accusing President Buhari of presiding over a country where right under his nose, N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil was allegedly stolen using 18 unregistered companies, as well as an alleged looting of over N2.6 trillion in shady oil subsidy regime.
The obviously startled PDP is urging the National Assembly to swing into action and investigate another alleged siphoning of $322 million repatriated funds as well as the trillions of naira allegedly stolen under shady projects such as the tradermoni project, among others.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement that the party has noted that Buhari’s wife, Aisha, recently raised the alarm that over N500 billion meant for poverty alleviation under the APC-led government did not get to the designated beneficiaries.
The opposition party, according to Ologbondiyan, wants the Legislative arm of the Federal Government on resumption, to assert itself and accede to demands by Nigerians to investigate the widespread insecurity, economic depression, treasury looting, abuse of office and violations that stamped the President Buhari administration since May 2015.
“The PDP is urging the federal legislature to protect the interest of millions of suffering Nigerians by invoking its powers under sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to recover the more than N14 trillion stolen by government officials and leaders of the APC in the last four years.
“The PDP holds that a legislative action has become imperative, as the Buhari Presidency has failed to give cogent explanation on the alleged looting of more than N9 trillion through sleazy oil contracts as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo; a situation that directly points to officials culpability. The PDP holds that the humongous looting under the Buhari administration is directly responsible for the economic hardship Nigerians have been subjected to in the last four years,’’ Ologbondiyan said.
The PDP spokesman said, “Our party is therefore urging the National Assembly to save the nation by recovering and channeling the stolen funds towards the welfare of Nigerians, while the culprits face the law.
“The PDP implores the federal legislators to stand on the side of suppressed Nigerians by immediately investigating the roles played by the APC-led administration on issues related to the clashes and bloodletting in various parts of the country as well as the reported cases of widespread human rights violations, including illegal arrests, detention, torture and alleged disappearances as detailed in the reports by the United States Department of State and other international bodies.
“The PDP insists that the National Assembly, as the only legitimate representative of the people at the national level today, should ensure that the cabal in the Buhari Presidency and the APC do not succeed in their prolonged effort to sweep these humongous looting and violations under the carpet.’’
