Arms Scam: We Didn’t Ask Jonathan To Speak -PDP

L-R: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase and DIG, Logistics and Supply, Mamman Tsafe, during the Minister’s visit to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday

The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has denied that the party asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to open up on the $2.1 billion arms scandal.
At least, 12 prominent PDP chieftains, including a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki are standing trial for their roles in the sharing of the money meant for arms procurement under the Jonathan administration.
The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, had at a press briefing on Monday, called on the ex-President to respond to the claims by Dasuki that the money was shared on his directives.
But speaking at the party’s constitution amendment forum in Abuja, yesterday, Secondus said Jalo spoke for himself and that his views did not represent the position of the PDP leadership.
“Let me make it clear to you that Jalo was only expressing his personal opinion because his views did not represent the position of the party.
“There was no time we discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC) that Jonathan should speak on the arms deal scandal. There was no time such a thing came up at the NEC. So Jalo must be expressing his personal opinion,” Secondus said.
The chairman decried the continued detention of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh and other party chieftains by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Metuh allegedly collected N400 million of the arms cash from Dasuki and was also reported to have collected various sums, which added up to N1.4 billion through Destra Investment Limited, a company in which he holds a substantial stake.
Secondus called on the EFCC to release Metuh immediately, saying his continued detention was against the rule of law and a breach of his fundamental human right.
Acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said the party required a new constitutional framework to guarantee internal democracy within its fold.
Secondus stated this yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating the party’s Constitution Amendment Committee.
He said that the party also needed a new constitution that would provide an efficient organisational structure and process under which the aspirations of its members could be maximally articulated.
He said that since its inception in 1998, PDP had effected five constitution amendments with the first in 2000 and others in 2001, 2006, 2009 and 2012.
“In all these amendments, we have not had a more pressing need to review our constitution than we now have.
“Today, we are faced with the reality of becoming an opposition party after governing the country for 16 years.
“Not only are we expected to function as a vibrant opposition, it appears that by a surprising stroke of fate, Nigerians will once more be relying on PDP just like they did in 1998, to save our democratic project,” Secondus said.
He declared that the party must therefore reform and reposition itself for the task ahead.
He urged members of the committee to use the report of the party’s Post-election Review Committee to explore ways through which the party could forge ahead.
“It is one working document you will find very useful,” he said.
Speaking at the occasion, the Country Director of International Republican Institute (IRI), Mr Sentell Barnes, urged PDP to take “bold steps” and adopt strong recommendations in its Constitution.
Barnes said that taking such hard steps was crucial ahead of the party’s 2016 convention and would prepare it for its new opposition role ahead of the 2019 general elections.