The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, alleged that the Presidency under President Muhammadu Buhari has become a den of thieves.
The party said the shocking fact that a scammer linked to the Presidency, Abdulrauf Illyasu, enjoys an “office accommodation within the safety and cover of the Presidential Villa, from where he allegedly carries out his fraudulent assignments, was a hard evidence that the Buhari Presidency breeds and facilitates swindlers, charlatans and treasury looters.”
In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP observed that nothing was “impossible for a Presidency replete with persons who thrive in lies, false claims, certificate forgery, bribery, intimidation and recruiting of fraudulent and corrupt persons as ministers, special advisers and clandestine fronts for financial sleazes.”
The statement read: “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.
“Only last week, a known confidant of Mr. President, Nasir Danu, was arrested at Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom for alleged international passport scam and money laundering while allegedly ferrying stolen currencies for persons said to be close to the Presidency.
“This is in addition to further allegations that Danu has been fronting for a close relation of the President for shady oil deals and huge contracts running into billions of naira in major revenue earning agencies.”
The PDP urged Nigerians to note how the “Abdulrauf Illyasu and Danu matters remind of 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 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 Buhari were involved in serial fraud and looting of public resources under the cover of some elements in the Presidency.
“We note as shameful, how the public space has been saturated with allegations of how individuals and cabal connected to the Buhari Presidency have 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.
“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 statement added: “PDP reminds Nigerians that the Buhari Presidency has not yet provided answers as to why it has not investigated and prosecuted persons involved in the N9trillion sleazy oil contract as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo.