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N1.14trn Subsidy Payment Fraudulent -PDP …As Ezeife, Yakasai, Others Tell Buhari To Drop 2nd Term Bid
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of corruption over the fuel subsidy regime of his government, throwing its weight behind state governors’ query of the subsidy regime.
The main opposition party has therefore challenged the President to submit himself for an independent inquest into his handling of the subsidy regime as well as the alleged complicity of his Presidency in other exposed financial impropriety by cronies of his government, particularly in
revenue collecting agencies.
According to a statement issued Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja yesterday, such inquest, which it noted, was already backed by state governors across board, “will not only expose humongous corruption but also show the world that our African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption champion had not been totally spotless.”
The party invited Nigerians to note that the demand by governors to probe all subsidy deals since 2015 was a direct indictment on President Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum, particularly, following allegations that the stolen funds were being warehoused to fund his 2019 re-election bid and the opulent lifestyle in the Presidential Villa.
The party noted that if President Buhari allowed the inquest, “it will reveal how our president, who had queried the genuineness of the oil
subsidy payments by PDP administration and described the process as a fraud, had secretly engaged in underhand oil subsidy deals.”
The party asserted: “Nigerians will also understand how the cost of fuel geometrically rose from the PDP subsidized the cost of N87 to N145, representing a criminal N58 tax, per liter of fuel.
“Nigerians recall that it took over two years of secret oil subsidy deals under President Buhari before it was exposed last December. Since then, the Presidency and the NNPC have been seeking ways to cover the fraud which include claims that local consumption suddenly jumped from 28 million liters per day to 60 liters per day.
“PDP considers this as a fabrication to retire the billions being stolen as subsidy, even when statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics and the reality of the retarded purchasing power of citizens, under the prevailing economic recession, do not validate such claims.
“Nigerian, therefore, deserve to know who authorised the payments and the identity of the beneficiary companies, if any.
“The PDP is happy that state governors across the board and the National Assembly are on the same page with our party in condemning the humongous fraud going on under President Buhari’s fuel subsidy.”
The PDP, therefore, demanded that the inquest should cover the alleged the N15 billion stolen from the NHIS, the N18 billion stolen from the PINE initiative, the alleged leaked memo of N9 trillion corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC, the reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude last year and why indicted Presidential cronies and fronts have not been prosecuted.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised alarm over what it described as deliberate attempts by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to completely clampdown on opposition elements across the country.
Rising from its meeting, last Saturday, in Abuja, where members discussed issues on the state of the nation, particularly the clampdown on opposition and dissenting voices, the PDP stated that it was taking the pains to alerts Nigerians because of the dare consequences such government policy could have on the nation’s democracy, peace and economic development of the country.
A statement issued by the party in Abuja, said, “The PDP alerts all Nigerians that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Federal Government have commenced a vicious and direct clampdown of major opposition leaders, perceived political opponents and individuals with interests and views that are divergent to those of their Presidential aspirant, perhaps, candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“The clampdown is tailored to silence opposition as well as those who refused to join or support the APC in their unlawful design to emasculate other political parties, undermine our laws and electoral system, foist a one-party state and perpetuate their incompetent, dysfunctional and anti-people rule on our nation.
“It is instructive to inform that our leaders, particularly, our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, have been receiving threats since the PDP filed a petition to the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations, detailing documented threats to democracy by the APC and its Federal Government, abuse of human rights, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, persecution of opposition and unabated constitutional violations.
“The PDP is aware of clandestine plots against key opposition leaders, particularly, members of the PDP National Working Committee, some dissenting members of the APC, members of the civil society, opinion leaders, journalists and bloggers, who refuse to succumb to intimidation and that such persons have already been listed and currently being trailed by agents of the state.
“This has become manifest in the plot to rope members of ‘nPDP’, especially those in the National Assembly, into gun-running and murder charges just because they came out to voice their opposition to the APC government’s constitutional violations and executive brigandage in the running of our nation’s affairs.
“The PDP wants Nigerians and the international community to know those to hold responsible should PDP leaders, as well as other members of the opposition start falling victims of untoward situations like assassinations, unexplained accidents, inexplicable ‘armed robbery’ attacks, high profile abduction and sudden disappearances.
“These include wanton arrest, manhandling and detention of opposition leaders on trumped-up charges, as well as illegal invasion of their homes and businesses by agents of the state.
“Apart from allegations of corruption, there are also plots to clamp down and detain opposition leaders for charges bordering on treason and the PDP is also aware that some compromised judicial officers have been enlisted to give convictions and jail members of opposition as well as dissenting voices, on flimsy grounds.
“Moreover, we know that the APC is fixated with the PDP because of the renewed popularity of our party among Nigerians, as the inevitable vehicle to return power to the people, restore democracy, national cohesion and safeguard our territorial integrity, come 2019.
“The PDP’s response to all these plots is that we are not cowed. Nigeria belongs to all of us and our laws on political engagements are very clear. The PDP, as a party committed to democracy and freedom will continue to uphold the inalienable rights of our citizens to free speech, political association and to politically aspire to any position in the land, including the Presidency.
“Our party, therefore, urges all Nigerians to be alert, united and remain resolute in their decision to collectively defend our democracy and its tenets, constitutionally guaranteed personal freedom and the rule of law in our nation,” the PDP added.
Similarly, some elder statesmen in the country have urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek a second term in 2019.
The leaders from different parts of the country gave various reasons for advising Buhari not to seek re-election in separate interviews with newsmen, last Saturday.
A former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said age was no longer on the side of the President, adding that the stress associated with his office was already having negative effects on his health.
Ezeife, who noted that he was opposed to Buhari’s election as President in 2015, prayed that God would change his (Buhari’s) heart to dump the second-term bid.
He said, “Let us pray so that God would stop Buhari from talking about a second-term and instead, begin a six-month emergency restructuring of Nigeria.
“It is not a matter of whether he is fit or qualified, age is important. He claims to be 75, he may be 82. Even at 75, he is too old to be in that office.
“The second consideration is his comprehensive failure in the first term. If you recorded a failure like that, why do you want to seek a second term?”
Also, the Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, said he had never supported Buhari to become President of Nigeria.
Yakasai said, “Buhari and his party (All Progressives Congress) were not prepared to rule Nigeria in the first instance. Therefore, in my opinion, he should not have contested at all.”
Similarly, a former minister of health, Prof. A. B. C. Nwosu, noted that as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he would never have supported Buhari to be Nigeria’s President.
Nwosu, who is a member of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said, “It is his (Buhari’s) constitutional right to seek any office just like anybody else. We need to organise ourselves to provide an alternative with a clear set objective that will make life better for Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, self-acclaimed spiritualist and leader of Divine Intelligence Ministry, Prophet George Fakolade, last Saturday warned President Muhammadu Buhari, to stop further activities towards his re-election in 2019, saying the second term bid was ill-fated.
Fakolade, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja, said there would be fatal consequences, if President Buhari does not retract and rescind his public declaration to run for a second term in office.
He said: “There is a very serious warning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari over his ill-fated ambition for a second term as president in 2019.
“President Buhari must retract, rescind, and withdraw his decision to seek a second term, and apologise to all Nigerians or else, history shall repeat itself on him with fatal consequences and many calamities”.
“He has been weighed on the balance and found wanting. All Nigerians should be on red alert as President Buhari’s public declaration to run again in 2019 at the APC National Executive Committee Meeting was an act of arrogance that will end in a fatal manner,” he warned.
The man of God had earlier predicted that there would be a 2015 change of government in Nigeria; a Dr Goodluck Jonathan takeover of government from late President Musa Yar’Adua; a Presidential election victory for Barack Obama in 2008; and the demise of late military Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, in 1998.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
