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Tag: Kola Ologbondiyan

  • PDP to MDAs: Respect the NASS

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Heads of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) against disrespecting the National Assembly, saying that this behaviour will not augur well for the nation’s democracy.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, gave the warning in an interview with the News men in Abuja.

    Ologbondiyan was reacting to banners placed at the entrance of the National Assembly, urging MDAs to quickly play the necessary roles to facilitate the passage of the 2018 Appropriation Bill.

    The banners read in part: `Budget Delay: Put the Blame Where it Belongs’; `Ministers are Responsible for the Delay in Passing the 2018 Appropriation Bill’, `Ministers are Subverting Budget Passage’ and `They Should Abide by Presidential Deadline’.

    Ologbondiyan stressed the need for the MDAs to appear before relevant committees of the National Assembly to defend their budgets before its passage as is the custom.

    Read Also: Imposition: Former Ekiti deputy governor Lawal quits PDP

    He said it was indecent for appointees of the executive arm to disrespect members of the National Assembly who contested elections and won just like the President.

    “The Ministries, Departments and Agencies have this attitude of disrespecting members and the institution of the National Assembly.

    “This has not been the practice since the return of democracy in 1999. What we see these days is that the National Assembly would invite Ministers and Heads of Agencies and they will just ignore them.

    “We are not helping democracy; the National Assembly is the bastion of our democracy; the Executive and Judiciary are always there but what gives us democracy is the National Assembly,” he said.

    Ologbondiyan urged the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to guide its appointees on what the National Assembly represents.

    NAN

  • PDP demands full disclosure of President Buhari’s trip

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded that the Presidency make public all issues relating to the private visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United Kingdom.

    The party, which queried the Presidency for always shrouding issues around the President in secrecy, pointedly demanded a full disclosure on the scope, purpose, direct destination, duration as well as the cost and source of the funding for “this undisclosed tourism”.

    In a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said President Buhari is not a private citizen and cannot embark on private trips, wrapped in secrecy, since his upkeep draws directly from national resources and taxpayers’ money.

    The statement said, “While the PDP has nothing against Mr. President embarking on any trip, we insist that as the President of the Federal Republic, there must be full disclosures to Nigerians because the citizens deserve to know the purpose of the visit and the cost to the nation.

    “We know that Mr. President is billed to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to take place between April 16 and 20, but Nigerians are wondering why he is taking off to an undisclosed destination in London two clear weeks ahead.

    “We ask; Is President Buhari and his handlers hiding anything from Nigerians so much so that they cannot disclose the reason and duration of the so-called private visit?

    “Nigerians are invited to note that this secret visit has a departure date but silent on the purpose, date and place of arrival.

    “Today, our economy is hemorrhaging and the citizens are languishing because of the continued lack of accountability and total incompetence of the Buhari-led administration.

    “The PDP insists that public officers at all levels, particularly the occupier of the office of the President, must be accountable, transparent and answerable in all their dealings at all times, especially under an administration that claims zero tolerance for corruption”.

     

  • Why Buhari has no moral ground to fight corruption – PDP

    ….Says President a beneficiary of corruption freebies

     

    The verbal war between the ruling All Progressives Congress (PDP) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be escalating by the day.

    Following Friday’s release of a list of alleged PDP treasury looters by the Minister of Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the two main political parties have continued to exchange accusations of corruption.

    In the latest tirade, the PDP said President Muhammadu Buhari has no moral rectitude to fight corruption. It accused the President of being a direct beneficiary of “corruption freebies” deployed by his party leaders to fund his 2015 presidential election.

    The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Saturday, said the billions of Naira deployed for President Buhari’s 2015 campaign were proceeds of corruption.

    “The President, who declared that he had no resources to run a presidential campaign in 2015, ought to have known, particularly as a leader, that the billions of naira deployed for his campaigns were proceeds of corrupt activities of known All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and leaders”, it added.

    The opposition party challenged the President to make open the sources of fund available to his campaign in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 race as well as the names of the donors.

    The PDP said it is particularly interested in the fund allegedly provided by an unnamed South-south governor for the 2011 presidential election as well as how the cost of litigation was paid by the then Buhari Campaign.

    It insisted that the APC and the Federal Government cannot list names of looters and attempt to shy away from the fact that President Buhari and his party are direct beneficiaries of fund looted by APC governors.

    The party said the President and his party leaders have huge confessions to make on how they raked in state stolen resources to prosecute the 2015 elections.

    The statement said, “If the Federal Government and the APC are serious about fighting corruption and not just out to persecute PDP members, they should have begun with the probe into the source of the billions of naira used for President Buhari’s 2015 presidential campaigns, particularly in the face of allegations that the fund was looted from treasuries of various APC states.

    “Can President Buhari in all honesty claim ignorance of reports in the open media that a South-south governor looted several billions from his state accounts and diverted the sums into Buhari’s 2015 campaigns?

    “Can the Presidency and the APC inform Nigerians what steps the Federal Government has taken to investigate this allegation, which has been in the public domain and to clarify their roles as beneficiaries of the alleged looted funds?

    “If they are not complicit, why are they not demanding the truth in the matter and the possible refund of the fund for the good of the people?

    “We challenge President Buhari to tell Nigerians what he has done regarding the leaked memo showing N9 trillion ($25billion dollars) corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC as well as the alleged stealing of N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil, all in a sector under his direct purview as minister of Petroleum.

    “The Presidency should tell Nigerians what has been done to recover the stolen N18 billion Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention fund and the N10 billion National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) fund alleged to have been stolen from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by APC officials and Presidency cabal.

    “Furthermore, the Buhari Presidency must immediately explain why it has been providing cover for the cabinet minister reported to have bought a property worth N280 million in Abuja from corrupt enrichment.

    “How can a President who enjoys the company of perjurers, looters and is never aware of the activities of corrupt people around him, fight the menace of corruption?

    “Indeed, Nigerians have pulled off the facade of lies and propaganda of the Buhari Presidency and APC deception machinery and what they see now is the stark pretentiously sanctimonious Buhari Presidency”.

     

  • PDP to APC: You were elected with looted funds

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its administration to end the ruling party’s false sanctimony.

    It also asked the APC to immediately return all stolen funds used to finance President Muhammadu Buhari’s election in 2015 to the Federation Account.

    The party was reacting to a demand by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, asking the PDP to return funds looted during its 16 years administration.

    But in a counter claim, the PDP said the APC and its Federal Government cannot continue to play the saints when state governors, who stole hundreds of billions of naira meant for the development of their states to fund President Buhari’s election in 2015, are still enjoying cover as members of the Buhari kitchen cabinet despite outrage from Nigerians.

    The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Tuesday, said there was no evidence that the PDP looted any public funds.

    He insisted that the APC and President Buhari campaigned for the 2015 presidential election with looted billions of naira meant for the provision of essential amenities for ordinary Nigerians.

    The opposition party said the Information minister misfired in his outburst that the PDP should return alleged looted funds, when the only party known to have used looted funds has always been the APC.

    The statement said: “It is, to say the least, despicable that the APC and its Federal Government, in their arrogance, would always try to play the saint when they were elected with stolen funds and have continued to reek with filth and sleaze.

    “Nigerians are aware that prior to the 2015 election, President Buhari had informed that he was insolvent.

    “He however took Nigerians by surprise as he enjoyed one of the most expensive presidential campaigns in the history of our nation, while turning a blind eye to reports of massive looting of funds from APC controlled states.

    “Indeed, if there is any party that should refund looted funds, it is the APC, which directly used stolen money to scheme in the election of President Buhari in 2015, while known culpable persons now sit comfortably around the Presidential table, still superintending over the looting of our common patrimony.

    “This is the APC, whose government, has been rated by international bodies including the Transparency International (TI) whose latest report showed that corruption and sleaze had escalated under its watch.

    “This is the same government where ministers and officials indicted for corruption and looting of public funds, particularly in the oil and gas sector, which is directly under the purview of Mr. President, are shielded and condoned.

    “Even presently, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communication, has been accused of owing his aides N13 million; that he has no fewer than 12 houses across the nation; bought a N93 million printing press and bought 25 luxury cars for his personal use, among others.

    “Yet, nothing has been heard from either the dysfunctional APC or its incompetent federal government.

    “While the repositioned PDP maintain its unpretentious stance towards Nigerians, we charge the minister of information to direct his demand to the Presidency and the APC as Nigerians are expecting them to refund the stolen funds they used to scheme themselves into office in 2015.”

     

  • 2019: PDP chieftain says South West strategic to party

    The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said on Monday that the South West was strategic to the party’s “inevitable victory” in the upcoming general elections.

    Ologbondiyan made the announcement when leaders of the Federation of South West Professionals in Politics paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

    He said that the South West remained a major support base for the party, saying that the party would never treat matters concerning the zone with levity.

    According to him, the party holds leaders and party members in the zone in high esteem, stressing that the value of the zone to the PDP cannot be dismissed.

    He said that efforts being made for the stability and growth of the party were commendable and that the party was re-positioning to re-take power.

    “The difference in votes won by the APC and our great party in the South West was very minimal, that shows that PDP commands genuine followership of voters in the zone.”

    Ologbondiyan said that in Lagos State, the home of the national leader of the APC, the PDP won six House of Representatives seats and nine state assembly seats.

    He said the PDP had continued to get majority support of the voting population in Ekiti and that the party’s structure in the South West remained formidable.

    Read Also: PDP members defect to APC in Rivers

    The publicity secretary claimed that in Oyo, Ogun and Ondo States, the party was waxing stronger and that its victory at the last senatorial election in Osun West showed that the PDP would retake the state.

    “There is no way the PDP will treat such a zone that is so strategic and known for progressive politics with levity.

    “It is therefore, imperative to emphasise that the PDP holds the South West in great respect and we will continue to work with the leaders of the zone and those of other zones to ensure a clear victory in 2019,” the party chieftain said.

    On the ongoing reconciliation in the PDP, Ologbondiyan said that the effort had been yielding dividends, adding that the party had emerged stronger from its challenges.

    He commended PDP governors, other elected officials and appointed leaders as well as party faithful for their commitment to the party.

    Earlier, the national convener of the organisation, Dr Olu Bamidele, commended the PDP leadership for achieving rapid re-positioning and re-branding of the party.

    Bamidele commended the party for its moves to ensure total reconciliation in its fold, particularly in the South West.

    He lauded what he described as the PDP’s constructive opposition, saying that Nigerians were looking up to the party to salvage the nation from the government of the APC.

    NAN

  • Buhari’s planned visit to Benue, Taraba, others an afterthought – PDP

    Buhari’s planned visit to Benue, Taraba, others an afterthought – PDP

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Mohammadu Buhari’s plan to visit Benue, Taraba and other states where Nigerians were killed by insurgents and Fulani herdsmen as an afterthought.

    A statement on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan also said the planned visit was a fresh device to further hoodwink the people ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The statement said, “It is alarming that Mr. President will consider visiting some of these states months after marauders, insurgents and bandits committed their havocs.

    “Mr. President has been in the country and never thought it necessary to pay a condolence visit to any of these states until Nigerians raised the alarm alleging a manifest indifference on his part.

    “It is even more pathetic that in Benue state, President Buhari summoned the leaders of the bereaved people to the Presidential villa, Abuja, rather than complying with the age-long tradition of Africans by visiting the bereaved.

    “No wonder many Nigerians have dismissed the planned visit of President Buhari to these states as cosmetic afterthought. Nigerians have already formed their opinion of him, and rightly so, as a President that has never shown them concern in their time of need”.

    Read Also:Buhari to visit Taraba, Benue, Yobe, two others

  • Saraki, PDP task security agencies on female students

    Saraki, PDP task security agencies on female students

    President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have tasked the nation’s security agencies on the 94 school girls allegedly abducted by Boko Haram insurgents.

    The latest mass abduction by the insurgents was reported to have taken place at Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi in Yobe State Monday night.

    Saraki, in a statement Wednesday by his media adviser, Yusuph Olaniyonu, condemned in strong terms the attack on the school by the insurgents.

    Saraki described the attack as one too many even as he urged the security agencies to get to the root of the matter, with the view to bringing the perpetrators to book and ensuring that all students of the school are properly accounted for.

    He called on security agencies to reinforce security around academic institutions in the country in order to prevent criminal elements from taking advantage of such soft targets to disrupt academic activities.

     

    Read Also: Yobe girls’ school attack one too many –   Saraki

    The President of the Senate bemoaned the attack, regretting that it’s coming at a time the Federal Government was working assiduously to end the incidents of terror in the Northeast and other flash points in the country.

    He urged the security agencies to be proactive in protecting lives and property in the country and also ensuring that accurate information about attacks such as the one recently witnessed in Dapchi, Yobe State, is promptly made available to members of the public to prevent unnecessary speculation and panic by family members of victims and citizens alike.

    Saraki expressed sympathy with the affected students, parents, school authorities and the government and people of Yobe State over the unfortunate incident.

    In a similar vein, the PDP also expressed shock at the development, adding that the party was seriously disturbed by this ugly incident, especially given the conflicting reports on the whereabouts of the innocent girls.

    In a statement Wednesday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP stated that the life, safety and wellbeing of all Nigerians were of paramount importance to the party.

    The party called on the federal government and the security agencies to ensure no effort is spared in the search for the missing girls.

    “The PDP is monitoring development on the position of the Nigeria Police investigation of the matter. We however charge the Inspector General of Police to immediately put all machinery in place to unravel this disturbing situation and recover the missing children.

    “We also urge the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government to live up to its basic responsibility of protecting lives and property in our country”, the statement added.

  • Underage voters: PDP asks INEC chair to resign

    Underage voters: PDP asks INEC chair to resign

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu to resign over registration of underage voters, mainly in Katsina and Kano states.

    But the electoral body had defended the action, saying its registration officials in those states were compelled to register minors under threats by community leaders in the areas.

    The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, carpeted INEC for failing to take decisive steps to restore the sanctity of its register, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.

    Rather, the party said the leadership of the commission has continued to offer puerile explanations of plans to investigate the anomaly, stressing that it took concerted outcry by well-meaning Nigerians for the commission to reluctantly accept responsibility for the illegality.

    “As you are aware, the INEC has been indicted for registering and issuing permanent voter cards (PVCs) to millions of underage persons, particularly in Kano and Katsina states.

    “You are also aware that it took a press statement from the PDP and concerted outcry by Nigerians before the Prof. Mahmood Yakubu-led commission reluctantly accepted responsibility for this illegality.

    “As we speak, the credibility of our electoral process under the current INEC is hugely in doubt.

    The nation was last Wednesday terrified by the commission’s Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, who announced that INEC registered minors because its agents were threatened by members of the communities in those states.

    “By this alarming and unpatriotic statement, INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has completely discredited and disqualified itself and cannot be trusted to conduct a credible, free and fair general elections in 2019.

    “The import of this statement is that INEC under Prof. Yakubu is not firm in its acts and will consequently cave in and accept any form of irregularities once it is put under pressure by members of a voting community.

    “It goes to say that this INEC can readily announce false results, cancel elections, alter polling procedures and allow any irregularities during the 2019 general elections once it is threatened by the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other group for that matter.

    If INEC is afraid of a voting community so much so that after registering minors, it still went ahead to process their data and issue them with valid voters card, then there is no way it can withstand the pressure and threat that we all know will be exerted by desperate APC forces, whose electoral strength, particularly in Kano and Katsina states, is now exposed to be based on underage voters”, the party said.

    The PDP demanded an immediate review of voters register, across the country, particularly in Kano and Katsina and also the revalidation of voters register to eliminate the names of all the minors.

    It insisted that no election must hold in these states until the register is sanitised.

    “In order to achieve this, we demand that the revalidation/sanitisation by INEC must be carried out under the supervision of all political parties, credible associations, reputable NGOs as well as the international community”, it added.

    The PDP also described INEC’s invitation to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (INEC) to help it monitor political parties’ campaign funds illegal and a Machiavellian way of suppressing opposition’s financial contributions and spendings.

    According to the opposition party, the invitation was a plot by the EFCC to detain, defame, intimidate and illegally block bank accounts of opposition members under the pretext of monitoring campaign funds.

    It insisted that only INEC has the statutory duty to monitor campaign funds, stressing that the commission cannot delegate this functions to any other government agency.

    “Nigerians have completely lost confidence in INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and we urge him to take the path of honour and do the needful before it becomes too late”.

    The PDP also alerted the public to what it described as the culture of intolerance in the ruling APC at the centre and across the various states where the party exercises control.

    Citing Tuesday’s demolition of a building belonging to Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi in Kaduna by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, the party said with this trend, properties belonging opposition figures and those perceived to pose threats to the re-election bid of some public office holders in the ruling party are now endangered.

    Detailing instances of such high-handedness in high places, the party said the government of the day was working to foist a fascist regime on the country.

    The party feared that if members of the ruling party could engage in vicious attacks against their fellow members, then it’s only a matter of time before they unleash havoc against opposition figures.

    Continuing, the PDP said, “In Adamawa, the state government has pulled down billboards and signposts belonging to opposition parties while harassing our members and perceived political opponents ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state.

    “In January this year, Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima superintended over the demolition of PDP state secretariat in Maiduguri following the renewed popularity of our party in the state.

    “In Kogi, a property belonging to Senator Dino Melaye, who is known for his criticism of the APC derailed government, has been marked for demolition.

    “Today, despite our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association and speech, Nigerians now live in fear of this intolerant, overbearing, bigoted and dictatorial APC administration seeking to foist a fascist regime on our country.

    “How do we explain or justify the evil plan of the APC-led Federal Government to monitor citizens’ phone calls and social media communication, purportedly to check for hate speeches without any enabling law.

    “We advise the APC government to desist from this planned unconstitutionality, which threatens the very essence of democracy, especially plurality of opinions.

    “It is on this note that the PDP raises a rallying cry to all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organizations and the international community to rise up and collectively condemn the anti-people actions and proclivities of this incompetent and imperious government, which has brought so much pain to our dear nation”.

    Read Also:INEC to investigate reports of under-aged voting

  • PDP knocks Presidency over alleged fresh N10bn NHIS scam

    PDP knocks Presidency over alleged fresh N10bn NHIS scam

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has knocked the Presidency over another N10 billion scam at the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), allegedly perpetrated under the watch of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Usman Yusuf.

    In a statement Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party wondered why a government that claims to be fighting corruption would continue to condone glaring acts of corruption right under its nose.

    It said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency has no honour for concealing a N10 billion theft perpetrated by the headship of the agency. The money was allegedly withdrawn from contributions by subscribers to the NHIS.

    The party added that the nation is being shoved to the precipice as the Presidency’s incompetence has continued to manifest in the daily activities of government.

    The PDP also described as the height of official hypocrisy for a government that is superintending over illegal withdrawals and outright stealing of funds meant for the welfare of the people yet brashly parading itself as champion of anti-corruption.

    The statement said, “It was shocking that the NHIS money was siphoned through the Federal Government Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the Central Bank of Nigeria, which is under the direct purview of the Presidency.

    “The only reason for the concealment was because the Presidency was complicit, while the stolen fund is being used to service an anti-people cabal brazenly operating in the Buhari-led Presidency.

    “Nigerians can now see the level of debauchery associated with this administration. It is appalling that a government can be so depraved that it superintended over the stealing of money meant to provide healthcare for the citizens.

    “We challenge the Presidency to speak out on this report as well as similar reported sleazes that have occurred under its watch.

    “Who in the Presidency authorized the withdrawal of the money from the TSA and who are the beneficiaries thereof?

    “What has the Presidency to say about revelations that it ordered the reinstatement of the indicted Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Prof. Yusuf Usman, to help conceal this illegal withdrawals and shield members of the presidency cabals involved in the deal?

    “Until and unless the Presidency clears its name by investigating, exposing and prosecuting those involved, it must directly be held responsible for this wicked act against Nigerians, who daily suffer hunger, depravation and death owing to the corruption in the APC government”.

    The opposition party also drew the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the refusal of the Buhari Presidency to act on a leaked memo showing corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC to the tune of N9 trillion ($25billion dollars) in a sector under President Buhari’s direct supervision as Minister of Petroleum.

    “The Presidency has also failed to offer explanations on the alleged involvement of its officials in various sneaky oil subsidy deals as well as reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude last year to service APC interests.

    “Nigerians are aware that the Presidency has continued to shield fraudulent cabinet ministers, including those known for extorting funds from agencies under them in addition to those indicted for corrupt enrichment. Indeed, this government stinks and has irredeemably lost all honour”, the party added.

    Read Also:Buhari, NHIS and anti-graft battle

  • PDP chides Presidency for reinstating NHIS boss

    PDP chides Presidency for reinstating NHIS boss

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chided the Presidency for reinstating the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme ( NHIS ), Prof Usman Yusuf after he was suspended indefinitely by the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole in July 2017.

    Yusuf was suspended for alleged financial misconduct bordering on the misuse of N919 million and insubordination towards constituted authority following a report of a ministerial panel of inquiry which indicted him of abuse of office.
    In a dramatic twist however, the Presidency on Tuesday, overruled the minister by reinstating the indicted NHIS boss, even as he was still undergoing interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    The PDP, in a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the Presidency’s action as shocking, scandalous and a mockery of justice.
    The party also mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government for allegedly covering up a cabinet minister reported to have bought a property worth N280 million in Abuja from alleged corrupt enrichment.

    “The Presidency stinks of corruption and has lost all claim of fighting graft, as long as it continues to protect indicted officials of the APC administration”, the statement added.

    The PDP added that it was disgusting that the same Presidency that is brandishing a medal of African Union Anti-Corruption champion, would short-circuit the processes, arm-twist anti-graft agencies and pull out an indicted government official, while he was still a guest at the EFCC where he was being grilled for his alleged malfeasance.

    The statement said, “This is a government official probed and thoroughly indicted for abuse of office and fraud to the tune of N919 million by a committee set up by the Minister of Health, comprising senior officials of the Health ministry, Department of State Services, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and which report was submitted to the President last September.

     

    Read Also: NHIS:  ‘We’ve attained 98% coverage of formal sector’

     

    “The report detailed Yusuf as a public servant who portrayed a holier than thou attitude but at the background, milked the agency dry by ganging up with other fraudulent elements to fleece the NHIS to the tune of over N919 million through fraudulent procurements, while name-dropping on the President.

    “Instead of allowing for the conclusion of investigation and eventual prosecution by EFCC, the Presidency halted the process and rewarded the indicted official with a recall from suspension, even without any recourse to the supervising minister, simply because Prof. Yusuf is not only of the APC but also known to be very close to the President.

    “The only way the Presidency can redeem itself from this particular scandal is to immediately return Prof. Yusuf to the EFCC and allow the law to take it course if it is actually fighting corruption in Nigeria.

    “In the same vein, we challenge the Presidency to immediately name the minister indicted for corrupt enrichment and bring him out for investigation and prosecution in line with the law”.

    The opposition party called on Nigerians and the international community to continue to note what it called the insincerity and deception of the APC government, especially as the nation approaches the 2019 general elections.