Come Clean On Alleged N4.6bn Fraud – PDP Taunts Fashola
BY GRACE ANYANWU, ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, to immediately come clean on reports that N4.6 billion public funds was funneled into private accounts during his tenure as Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
Alarmed that a staggering N4.6 billion was allegedly channeled into private accounts when he superintended as ‘super’ Minister of Power, Works and Housing during President Muhammadu Buhari’s first tenure, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is demanding that Babatunde Raji Fashola immediately come clean on the reports currently making rounds in the public space.
According to the PDP, Fashola, who is now the Minister of Works and Housing, has a lot to explain and convince Nigerians that he is not an active part of the cabal currently milking the country dry
The main opposition party is also insisting the Presidency speak on the report that has further “exposed the rot and humongous corruption” going on in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) under its watch, despite the much orchestrated anti-corruption stance and “holier than thou” attitude of its officials.
A statement by the PDP in Abuja said; “Nigerians were shocked by the revelations that between September and December 2019 alone, the sum of N4.6 billion was stolen through fraudulent payments in 654 tranches, without any explanatory details to 21 private accounts belonging to some faceless individuals and certain directors in the then Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, under Fashola.”
Signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the statement said; “It is indeed appalling and of course revealing that such huge fraud, which is in direct contravention of Sections 7, 701 and 713 of our nation’s financial regulations reportedly occurred under Fashola’s watch.
It also said, Section 713 clearly provides that no “public money shall be paid into a private bank account” and that “an official who pays public money into a private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intentions”.
Ologbondiyan further said; “The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the pattern and route of this fraud points to a high level conspiracy to funnel out funds from the ministry to service some higher interests, which must be unraveled and the funds immediately recovered.
“Nigerians can now see why the nation’s power, housing and road infrastructure had remained in shambles despite the huge resources allocated for development under the Buhari administration.
“The public can now see how officials in the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration are recklessly plundering and looting resources meant for national development and blaming it on past administrations.
“Nigerians now know why our nation has been reduced to a beggar nation and why resources never get to projects they were voted for under the APC.”
For the PDP, “if a whooping N4.6 billion is exposed to have been stolen in a space of two months in one ministry, one can only imagine how much has been stolen in the last five years in various ministries and departments by officials of the Buhari administration.
“Moreover the silence by Fashola and the Buhari Presidency over this very weighty revelation is heightening apprehensions of complicity in the public space.”
The PDP maintained that Nigerians’ frayed nerves and anger over the alleged fraud would only be assuaged if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) takes necessary “steps to invite Fashola and all those mentioned in this alleged fraud and ensure that the law takes its course on any one found wanting.”
