PDP Worried over Arrest of Alleged Scammer Linked to Presidency

PDP Worried over Arrest of Alleged Scammer Linked to Presidency

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday said that it was worried over the arrest of an alleged scammer linked to the presidency, stating that it confirms its notion that the presidency has become a haven for dubious characters.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that the shocking fact that the alleged scammer, Abdulrauf Iliasu, even enjoys an office accommodation within the safety and cover of the Presidential Villa, from where he carries out his fraudulent assignments, was a hard evidence that the presidency breeds and facilitates swindlers, charlatans and treasury looters.
Iliasu, National Coordinator, Federal Civil Service Staff With Disabilities Cooperative Society, who had been on the most wanted list of the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC), was arrested recently by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). He is currently in the custody of the commission while his office located opposite the Presidential Banquet Hall at the Presidential Villa was had been sealed by the ICPC.

In its statement on Thursday, the PDP however noted that nothing was impossible for a presidency allegedly replete with persons who thrive in lies, false claims, certificate forgery, bribery and intimidation.

“Our party holds that it is the height of deceit and duplicity that an administration that boasts of integrity and zero tolerance for corruption could be the very sanctuary of the underworld”, it said.

The party also claimed that last week, an alleged confidant of the President was arrested at Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom for international passport scam and money laundering.

The PDP called on Nigerians to note how the latest arrest brings to mind the case of the former aide to the First Lady, Mr. Baba-Inna, who was earlier arrested over accusations of receiving billions of naira from politicians and businessmen allegedly on behalf of the First Lady.

The party also urged Nigerians to recall the confession of one Amina Mohammed, who while being paraded by the Department of State Services (DSS) in 2018, stated in public that persons close to President Muhammadu Buhari were involved in serial fraud and looting of public resources under the cover of some elements in the presidency.

The PDP described as shameful how the public space had been saturated with allegations of individuals and cabal connected to the Presidency had been hounding government agencies as well as major domestic and international business concerns for kickbacks while strangulating those who refuse to accede to their demands.

According to the main opposition party, “Today, it is no longer news that the Buhari presidency holds the medal as the most corrupt administration in the history of our nation, which had also mastered the act of concealment with propaganda and deceit.”

The PDP reminded Nigerians that the Buhari presidency had not yet provided answers as to why it had not investigated and prosecuted persons allegedly involved in the N9 trillion sleazy oil contract as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo.

“The presidency has also not informed the nation why it has not investigated and prosecuted persons involved in the alleged stealing of over N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil using 18 unregistered vessels since 2017.

“Such inaction in the face of huge sleaze points to nothing but complicity in very high places and Nigerians now know the links as well as those to hold responsible,” PDP stated.

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