The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be uncomfortable with the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to recover public funds allegedly stolen by government officials in the last administration.
Apparently worried by the decision, the PDP has expressed fears that the exercise might become a witch hunt aimed at discrediting and undermining the opposition.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party cautioned the President against politicising the issue of corruption in the country.
The PDP said, “While we expect the present administration to be serious about the fight against corruption, probe and persecute each and everyone involved in such, irrespective of their party leaning, we restate that these must be done within the ambits of the law and must not be used as a witch-hunt ostensibly to discredit and undermine the opposition. We therefore caution against the current drama of politicising the issue of corruption in the country.”
The party said no amount of intimidation, blackmail and propaganda by the Presidency would stop it from standing shoulder to shoulder with Nigerians in demanding that the President kick-start his government and commence implementation of his campaign promises.
The statement described as “lame and diversionary” claims by the Presidency that the financial mess created by the last PDP led administration was still being cleared.
President Buhari had stated that he met a near empty treasury and huge debts at the time he assumed the Presidency on May 29, a situation he said, was one of the reasons for the delay in appointing his cabinet ministers.
But the PDP said the delay is creating loopholes through which some persons claiming closeness to the President have infiltrated executive bodies, arm-twisting and conniving with unscrupulous elements in the bureaucracy to siphon the nation’s resources in the last 30 days.
The statement added that the PDP would not in any way be cowed by threats and wild allegations by the Presidency into abdicating its responsibility of speaking out as an opposition party where the system is derailing.
“The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians were appalled by the response from the Presidency regarding our call for prayers to enable President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration locate its bearing, compose a government and halt the prevailing stagnation with its huge negative impact on the system.
“Instead of addressing the issues raised, the Presidency descended to insults, abuses and innuendos, a stance which not only bears out the case made by the PDP but also raises questions about the capacity of this administration to shoulder the enormous responsibility of governance.
“Furthermore, the analogy of the Augean stable is completely baffling to us at this level as it goes to a great length to question the capacity and the sincerity of those around the President.
“In Greek mythology, Hercules in his ingenuity took the task and efficiently cleared the Augean’ stable in a day for which he demanded a reward of a tenth of fine cattle belonging to the king.
“Nigerians would not want to believe that in the so-called clearing of the Augean stable, although not delivering in one day, President Buhari wants to play Hercules in his demand, this time, by wanting to run the government alone without the statutory components of the executive as enshrined in the constitution.
“We ask, is the so-called clearing of mess responsible for his inability after 90 days of winning an election to make up his mind on rudimentary appointments such as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff and his demand for 15 Special Advisers as approved by the PDP controlled Seventh Assembly since June 5, 2015?
“Perhaps we need to draw President Buhari’s attention to the fact that while he is busy clearing his imaginary mess on the pages of newspapers, some persons claiming closeness to him have in the last 30 days been piling up sleazes that also need his attention in key agencies of government.”
