…Demands Immediate Public Explanation From Buhari
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has drawn the attention of Nigerians
to the shocking confession by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen.
Babagana Mongunu (rtd), that he is not aware of the whereabouts or
disbursement of the $1bn drawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) by
the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency in 2017 for security purposes.
According to a statement signed by Kola ologbondiyan, “this confession
by the NSA, who coordinates the security architecture of the nation,
directly places a huge burden on President Buhari’s doorsteps over
reported stealing and diversion of funds meant for security, while
insurgency, banditry, killings and kidnapping fester in the land under
his watch.
“The revelation by NSA further vindicates the PDP on our initial alarm
that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration is overtly
corrupt, deceptive and unreliable in the handling the affairs of our
nation.
“It further validates the stance of the PDP that agents of the Buhari
Presidency and the APC were hiding under the guise of security to siphon
the $1bn from the ECA. This, peharps, informed the desperation by the
cabal to draw from the Account without recourse to statutory due process
of appropriation by the National Assembly.
“From Gen. Mongunu’s confession, Nigerians can further see why our
nation is daily confronted with disturbing videos and reports of our
fighting troops protesting their neglect and inadequate equipping,
leading to their vulnerability in the fronts.
“Now that the National Security Adviser has declared that he is not
aware of the whereabouts of funds, the burden, straightaway, lies
squarely on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately address the nation
on how the money was handled.
“This is especially as there are already allegations in the public space
that certain funds meant for security were diverted for 2019 campaign
activities of the APC while our troops languished in the front.
“Our party had always alerted Nigerians that the APC administration was
insincere in the handling of the ECA fund leading to our demand in 2017
for the National Assembly to investigate the handling of the $1bn.
“The PDP hereby restates our demand that President Buhari allows for a
system-wide investigation into the whereabouts of the $1bn, as well as
the handling of other funds meant for security purposes under his watch.
“Furthermore, the PDP invites Nigerians to note that such diversion of
funds under the Buhari administration led to the articulation of a
blueprint by Atiku Abubakar for a transparent system that eliminates
siphoning of funds, particularly in our critical sectors.”