“Was such committee set up on the nation’s economic problems, killings by herdsmen and hunger that is ravaging the country to the extent that Nigerians are committing suicide?” PDP asked.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) for inaugurating a 77-man campaign team, which included 14 governors, to wrestle power from PDP in Ekiti State, yet failing to do the same on the country’s numerous crises, such as the killings by herdsmen.
It also accused the ruling party of planning to fund the July 14 governorship election in the state with Abacha loot and proceeds of Nigeria’s sale of crude oil.
In a statement issued on Friday by Gboyega Oguntuase, Chairman of the party in the state, PDP said the 77-man campaign committee of the APC would “make the PDP’s victory in the election sweeter and memorable”.
PDP said the appointment of Atiku Bagudu, Governor of Kebbi State, who is “wanted in United Kingdom for fraud”, as Chairman of the committee, is a sign that APC had fallen in love with corruption.
“Was such committee set up on the nation’s economic problems, killings by herdsmen and hunger that is ravaging the country to the extent that Nigerians are committing suicide?” PDP asked.
“It is on record that Governor Atiku Bagudu allegedly opened several bank accounts with Deutsche Morgan Greenfell Bank where funds stolen from Nigeria were lodged, but falsely claimed that the huge funds were proceeds from his legitimate private businesses in oil and trading.
“The British Embassy in Washington wrote to the United States Department of State to make a formal request with reference number 34/03 dated April 11, 2003 for the extradition of Bagudu to its territory to face trial and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on May 7, 2003 issued a warrant for his arrest.
“On May 22, 2003, he was finally nabbed on the streets of Houston, Texas by two officers and was consequently detained for about 60 days while a court proceeding was on to facilitate his extradition.
“On November 19, 2003, his wife, Aisha A. Bagudu signed his bail bond of $500,000 cash, prompting his return to Nigeria. On his return to Nigeria, Bagudu actually refunded to the Central Bank of Nigeria through the office of the National Security Adviser the sum of $604,743,187.19, £60,090,984.93 and an additional £5.25m.”