The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO)
has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan, and his Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) government, to live up to their flaunted belief in the rule of
law and due process, public probity and accountability, by acceding to the
request of the National Assembly to submit the forensic audit report from
KPMG on the missing $20 billion and go ahead to publish same in mainstream
newspapers for Nigerians to assess or query the degree of transparency
involved in the controversial transaction.
“Why should the President and the PDP develop the feet of clay like an
immovable Colossus when the representatives of the people in the National
Assembly asked for copies of the forensic audit report, which public
outcry forced the government to procure in the first place?” queried Malam
Garba Shehu, APCPCO Director of Media and Publicity in a signed statement
on Monday in Abuja.
“So many respected experts on the national economy have condemned the
wanton waste of the country’s hard currency earnings at the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Worse still, those in charge have
treated Nigerians with impunity by hiding the facts relating to
petro-dollar trade from the taxpayers. Some of them have been gallivanting
and globe-trotting around the world in luxury while their compatriots
languish in poverty and squalor,” Shehu said.
The APCPCO Spokesman questioned the audacity of the President, PDP and
NNPC in disobeying the NASS request to scrutinise the KPMG audit of an
alleged grossly corrupt government agency (NNPC).
“Is the NNPC a sacred cow? And should the President be an umpire in a game
to which he’s a contender, or a judge in his own case?” Shehu queries.
“Is the President and his Petroleum Minister telling Nigerians that no
wrong has been done in terms of stealing of public funds? If corruption
was established in any form, is anyone listed for punishment? It is
pertinent to put all these information in the public domain for third
party verification. The KPMG report funded by taxpayer’s money is itself a
public property. And until this is done, the NNPC under Jonathan shall
remain in public consciousness the abattoir for corruption, immodesty,
dishonesty and impunity.”