The Peoples Democratic Party National New Media Group (PDP-NNMG) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will be living up to his status as the Grand Patron of corruption in Nigeria should he go ahead to inaugurate former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio as a minister despite confirmation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC) that he fraudulently diverted hospital equipment meant for a government cottage hospital in Ukana, Essien Udim, Akwa Ibom State to his private use.
The ICPC had said on Thursday, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa that it recovered hospital equipment meant for constituency project at the premises of Mma Obot Foundation, belonging to Senator Godswill Akpabio. The anti-graft agency said it recovered the items during its ongoing tracking of constituency projects around the country.
Reacting, the PDP-NNMG, in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, and signed by its National Coordinator, Lere Olayinka, said “With the ICPC confirmation that he diverted hospital equipment that he ought to have delivered to a public hospital since March 2018 as part of his constituency project, in saner climes, Senator Akpabio would by now be apologizing to Nigerians, especially the people of Akwa Ibom State that he tried to shortchange and asking for the withdrawal of his ministerial nomination.
“But because we are in Nigeria, under a government of a supposed man of integrity, who has turned the Presidential Villa to a safe haven for corrupt Nigerians, Akpabio will still carry on as if nothing happened and he will even be invited to speak at anti-corruption events soon.”
The group said Akpabio will be a minister without legitimacy, having been officially robed with garment of corruption by the ICPC revelation that he went to the ridiculous level of diverting a generator and dialysis machine meant for the well-being of Akwa Ibom people.
The PDP-NNMG maintained that President Buhari was the Grand of Corruption in Nigeria, who will never go against his club members even if they are seen emptying the Central Bank.
It said; “By the time Buhari begins to preside over a Federal Executive Council meeting with a Timipre Sylva, a man whose 48 houses seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) under a PDP government were returned under a corruption-fighting All Progressives Congress (APC) government and his N19 billion fraud dropped sitting on his left-hand side and Festus Keyamo, the man hired by EFCC to prosecute Sylva on the right, it will be more clearer to the entire world that the President is only hiding under anti-corruption fight to persecute his perceived political foes.”
The group said Nigerians will one day ask questions on the looting of their commonwealth being perpetrated inside President Buhari’s bedroom, noting that “By the time the loots under Buhari’s government is being recovered, Abacha loots will definitely be a child’s play.”
