From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
As the National Assembly resumes legislative duties Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Monday charged lawmakers to accede to demands by Nigerians to investigate widespread insecurity, economic depression, treasury looting, abuse of office and violations that had taken place in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration since May 2015.
The PDP also asked the federal legislature to protect the interest of millions of suffering Nigerians by invoking its powers under sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to recover the over N14 trillion allegedly stolen by government officials and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last four years.
PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that a legislative action had become imperative, as the Buhari Presidency had failed to give cogent explanation on the alleged looting of over N9 trillion through sleazy oil contracts as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo; a situation it said directly points to official culpability.
According to PDP, Nigerians also want the National Assembly to investigate the issues surrounding the reported stealing of N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil using 18 unregistered companies, as well as the alleged looting of over N2.6 trillion in shady oil subsidy regime.
The PDP urged the National Assembly to also investigate the alleged siphoning of $322m repatriated funds as well as the trillions of naira stolen under shady projects such as the ‘tradermoni’ project, among others.
The party notes that only recently, the wife of Mr. President, Aisha Buhari, raised the alarm that over N500 billion meant for poverty alleviation under the APC-led government did not get to the designated beneficiaries.
According to Olongbondiyan, “The PDP holds that the humongous looting under the Buhari administration is directly responsible for the economic hardship Nigerians have been subjected to in the last four years.
“Our party therefore urges the National Assembly to save the nation by recovering and channeling the stolen funds towards the welfare of Nigerians, while the culprits face the law.
“Furthermore, the PDP implores the federal legislators to stand on the side of suppressed Nigerians by immediately investigating the roles played by the APC-led administration on issues related to the clashes and bloodletting in various parts of the country as well as the reported cases of widespread human rights violations, including illegal arrests, detention, torture and alleged disappearances as detailed in the reports by the United States Department of State and other international bodies”.
The party said the National Assembly as the only legitimate representative of the people at the national level should ensure that the cabal in the Buhari Presidency and the APC do not succeed in their efforts to sweep these humongous looting and violations under the carpet.
