The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to name the three persons he claimed allegedly stole $3 billion during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it expects Professor Osinbajo to report those involved to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) if they truly exist.
The party said it is improper for the occupant of the exalted office of the vice president to engage in a smear campaign, making unsubstantiated statements to score cheap political points.
“Vice president, Osinbajo, is a professor of Law and ought to know that patriotism demands that he should not make unsubstantiated claims but to place the names of such Nigerians in public.
“We, therefore, urge vice president, Osinbajo, not to join President Muhammadu Buhari in de-marketing our dear nation, in a bid to score cheap political points and divert public attention from their failure in governance.
“Indeed, we had expected the vice president to show leadership by naming those he claimed stole $3 billion and making moves to ensure that the amount is recovered, instead of bandying figures at public events,” the opposition party stated.
Besides, the PDP said Nigerians want Osinbajo to address the issue of alleged colossal corruption in Buhari’s administration, especially in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which he oversees, that is currently being investigated by the House of Representatives, in connection “to the handling of N18 billion emergency intervention fund.”
Meanwhile, the party has also condemned the killing of 60 worshippers in twin blasts at a mosque and market in Mubi, Adamawa state, on Tuesday, by insurgents.
The party equally expressed shock over the murder of a Special Adviser to Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, Mr Ebikimi Okoringa by gunmen, on Monday.
The PDP said Nigerians are worried by the endless killings of Nigerians under the All Progressives Congress(APC)-led Federal Government.
“It is painful that while president Buhari and the APC federal government are busy misleading Nigerians and the world with false claims of having decimated insurgents, the same insurgents are having a field day pillaging our citizens in various parts of the country.
“We hold that if the incompetent APC administration had not continued to issue false security assurances, these compatriots would not have believed a lie and dropped their guards when they would have adopted more precautionary measures; only to be slaughtered as soft targets by insurgents.
“The PDP, therefore, charges our security agencies to insulate themselves from the APC propaganda and take urgent steps to tackle the security situation in the country. Nigerians look up to them now, more than ever before, to deploy their patriotism and professional skills to ensure the safety of lives in our country,” the PDP stated.
