The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s
anti-corruption war is a ruse.
The party was reacting to the President’s clearance of the Acting Chairman
of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu
and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. David Babachir
Lawal, of corruption allegations.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Prince Dayo
Adeyeye, said clearing Magu and Lawal “has finally confirmed our earlier
assertion that the ‘anti-corruption war’ of the All Progressive Congress
(APC)- led administration is a ruse; a witch-hunting mechanism to harass
PDP members and perceived enemies of this administration.”
The statement said, “It is no longer news that all those who are serving
in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari or who are members of his
party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) within the last two years of his
administration have all been cleared of any wrong doing; notwithstanding
documentary and other incontrovertible evidences to the contrary.
“The Presidency in today’s dispensation is the ‘Judicial Clearing House’
issuing clean bill of health to all accused corrupt officials who are
members of the APC and friends of the administration.
“It is quite disturbing that the President cleared his SGF of wrong doing
despite the weighty evidences of his “grass-cutting abilities” uncovered
by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, implicating Babachir of
complicity in the award of contracts relating to the IDP camp in Borno
State amounting to over 200 million Naira.
“It is more worrisome that Mr. President made light of the DSS Report
which directly indicted the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, of
several unwholesome and corrupt practices in the line of his duties.
“President Buhari saw nothing wrong in the report but was quick to order
the invasion of judges homes in a Gestapo and commando-style following the
same DSS report.
“What a double standard! It appears that the APC led government is
implementing two constitutions in Nigeria; one for the PDP and other
opposition parties and their leaders; while the other is for the ruling
party, the APC and friends of this administration.”
The PDP also alluded to the clearance given to the Chief of Staff, Lt.
Gen. Tukur Buratai, in the Dubai property saga, found to belong to the
Army Staff.
“The Chief of Army Staff was cleared of all accusations even with
convincing evidence of owning choice properties in Dubai beyond his
income; and also overwhelming evidence of misdeeds while serving as
Director of Procurement in the last administration.
“Notwithstanding, President Buhari cleared him by attributing his
ownership of choice properties to diligent and thrifty saving of his wages
but went after Supreme Court Justices for owning properties as if the
Judges too cannot also save from their own wages.
“In the same vien, ‘Buhari’s Court’ also cleared the Minister of Interior,
Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau for owning properties worth over 1.5 billion
Naira in the United States of America; and in fact rather than being
prosecuted, he was rewarded with the highest budget vote in the 2017
Budget.”