PDP maligns Buhari On Ize-Iyamu; Withdraw Governorship Nomination or Shut your mouth _ Garba Shehu

FG through the senior special assistant Garba Shehu on media and publicity has lashed out on the People’s Democratic Party saying it lacked the moral standing to criticize President Buhari fight against corruption.

This was disclosed in a communique released on Sunday by Garba Shehu, the presidents senior spokeman who accused elected and non-elected senior officials of PDP of complicity in corruption related matters. He accused the party of struggling to clear its name from alleged dealings with fraudsters in Dubai and the United States, wondering where they suddenly found the voice to attack the anti-corruption effort of the Buhari administration following his endorsement of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the All Progressives Congress candidate for the governorship election in Edo State.

It would be recalled that the PDP had in an earlier statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan stated that the President prior to endorsing Osagie Ize-Iyamu ought to have been aware that the APC Candidate is standing trial on corruption charges. The President’s endorsement is a dent on the government’s war against corruption, a war which the PDP says has become a failure.

And in response Garba Shehu said the party has forgotten its own history and antecedents. He asked the PDP to first withdraw the governorship nominations it gave to Ahmadu Fintiri and Bala Mohammed of Adamawa and Bauchi States respectively before it opens its mouth and talks on the efforts of the present administration in fighting corruption. He then suggested that the PDP either withdraws the governorship nomination for these individuals or else “shut its mouth” forever and leave the Buhari-led administration to do what the opposition party dares not attempt.

He recalled that both governors were actually on bail from criminal trials on several counts of fraud and embezzlement. Recounting he said that Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, July 1, 2016 granted bail to the former acting governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who was charged on June 30, 2016 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alongside his company, Mayim Construction and Properties Limited on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N2.9 billion.

In the case of Bala Mohammed, the PDP Governor of Bauchi State, the EFCC, on Wednesday, May 10, 2017, arraigned the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, before Justice A. M. Talba of the Federal Capital Territory, High Court sitting in Gudu, Abuja, on a six-count charge bordering on abuse of office, false declaration of assets and fraud to the tune of N864 million.

And commenting on the Buachi State governor, he said “Bala, while in office as minister, allegedly received N550 million as bribe from Aso Savings and Loans Limited with respect to some properties in the Asokoro area of Abuja. He is said to have corruptly abused his position as Board Chairman of Aso Savings by allocating four numbers fully detached duplexes and 11 numbers semi-detached duplexes valued at N314 million through the Presidential Taskforce on Sale of Government Houses, to himself. The former minister is also accused of making false declaration of his assets.”

The presidential spokesman in defence of Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside Lucky Imasuen, former deputy governor of Edo State, reminded the PDP that under the country‘s laws, only the courts can convict. Adding that “A suspect remains a suspect until conviction. But, if in the view of the PDP, a suspect is guilty as charged, then they must show examples by withdrawing the nomination of their governors and the party’s numerous Senators and other legislators standing trial in various courts of the country.

He spited the major opposition party saying “A party which 16 years in office destroyed the country’s economy and infrastructure has no moral authority to criticize the accelerated infrastructure development drive, largely drawing its energy from the Buhari anti-corruption campaign. A government that sees corruption in the past administration and sees corruption in its own administration, and fights it with equal gusto, cannot be placed on the same scale with those who, by their words and deeds said corruption is a way of life and Nigerians should learn to live with it.”