Account For ‘Missing’ $5bn, New PDP Tells FG

The New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) has challenged the Federal Government to account for the $5 billion which has allegedly disappeared from the nation’s Excess Crude Account (ECA).
The party threw the challenge in a press release in Abuja yesterday, after what it called a careful study of the disclosure made by the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, while declaring open the second annual retreat of the NGF on 15th November, 2013 in Sokoto.
“According to Governor Amaechi, the Excess Crude Account stood at $9 billion last January but has shrunk to only $4 billion as at today,” it said in the release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze.
The new PDP said it considered the development too weighty to be swept under the carpet in view of the stature of the person making the allegation and the realities on ground.
“For all intents and purposes, Gov. Amaechi is not a frivolous person and is not known for making frivolous claims. We told Nigerians about the poor handling of our common patrimony by this administration and sadly, nobody took it seriously as today, the unmistakable evidence is that Nigeria is broke as the Federal Government now finds it difficult to meet its obligations to states, local governments and contractors,” the party said.
It commended the NGF Chairman for bringing the matter to the open and challenged the Federal Government to come to tell Nigerians what it did with the money. We also hereby challenge the anti-graft agencies to prove their relevance by unearthing the whereabouts of this huge sum of money,” the party said.
It congratulated the NGF for a successful retreat and said it fully supports its call for transparency in the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the need to develop a National Security Framework for the country.
“That this administration is running for a prize award as the most corrupt administration in the annals of governance in Nigeria is not in doubt but we urge Nigerians to heed the advice of the NGF and stop being docile in the face of monumental impunity in the country. This, in reality, is the only way to rescue Nigeria from the path of doom,” the release said.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru, presenting car particulars and key to the winner of 2013 Miss Port Harcourt Centenary Beauty Pageant, Miss Theodora Kelechi Atako (right), at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, last Friday. With them is wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Mima Ikuru.
Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken