PDP says Buhari’s anti-corruption war is a big fraud

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption war is nothing but a big scam.

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.”