The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday asked the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio to immediately step aside and allow for an independent investigation into the allegation that a staggering N3.7 trillion was discreetly inserted into the 2024 budget for alleged non-existent projects.
PDP’s stance was corroborated by the Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in conjunction with its over 75 allied civil society organisations under the umbrella of the National Civil Society Organisations Against Inept Leaders, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to end the era of budget padding in the country.
In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, PDP said Akpabio immediately reports at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the pending case of alleged looting of N108 billion belonging to the people of Akwa Ibom State under his watch as Governor of the State.
“Furthermore, the Senate President should speak out on the reported N86 billion contract scam in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) during his tenure as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.”
The PDP however condemned the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi by leadership in the Senate without a detailed inquest into the issue of budget padding which he raised.
“The suspension of Senator Ningi is apparently a desperate move to suppress investigation, conceal and sweep the facts under the carpet,” PDP said, adding that it stands with Ningi “for his courage in seeking probity and accountability in the polity.”
In their statement co-signed by the deputy national publicity secretary of CNPP, Comrade James Ezema, and the national secretary of the coalition of CSOs, Alhaji Ali Abacha, they said the budget padding allegation is not the first time senators are accusing Akpabio of wrongdoing.
They said rather than give convincing explanation over how projects were inserted into the budget as alleged, the Senate president employed divide-and-rule tactics in the Senate to water down the allegation.
“Senator Akpabio should know that no amount of blackmail against his colleagues or the civil society would lessen his moral burden until he purges himself of the allegations against him.
“We therefore call on the President of the Senate to immediately step aside for a thorough investigation of the allegation of budget padding against him and his office within 14 days.
“In an event that he remains in office, we also call on all Senators of good conscience to rise to the occasion and commence impeachment process against Senator Akpabio after our 14 days ultimatum to pave way for a unhindered investigation of the allegation against him as Senator Akpabio cannot be a judge in his own case,” it said.
They therefore urged President Bola Tinubu to end the era of budget padding in the country by prevailing on Senator Akpabio to leave office for proper investigation as the presidency in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, inadvertently admitted that there was a budget padding to the tune of over N1 trillion when he claimed that President Tinubu presented N27.5 trillion budget to the National Assembly but N28.7 trillion was passed. It claimed that this proves that there is merit in the allegation as what was passed was not what was presented to the National Assembly.
They threatened to mobilise their members, all other civil society organisations, human rights activists, opinion leaders, political parties, men and women of good will and conscience, and all hungry citizens to occupy the National Assembly until their demands are met.
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