PDP renews call for probe of $1bn security fund

 Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, charged the National Assembly to probe President Muhammadu Buhari over the $1 billion  approved from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to tackle security challenges in the country.

The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it is imperative for President Buhari to appear before the  parliament over the fund, especially as the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Mongunu, said he is not aware of whereabouts of the money.

But the All Progressives Congress (APC) refused to react. All efforts by our correspondent, which included telephone calls and text messages to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to get a reaction yielded no positive response.

He did not only fail to pick several telephone calls put across to him but also  declined to respond to a text message which read: “Please, we need your reaction on the request by the PDP for the National Assembly to probe President Buhari over the controversial missing security fund.”

The opposition party urged the National Assembly to institute an inquest in the interest of the country to prevent alleged plots by APC and the  cabal at the Presidency  from sweeping the matter under the carpet.

“The demand by the PDP is predicated on allegations of complicity in the public space against the Buhari Presidency, following its failure to address the matter since the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Babagana Mongunu (retd), who is in charge of the nation’s security architecture, confessed that he is not aware of the whereabouts of the money. Whereas section 88 gives the National Assembly the overriding powers to conduct investigations to, among other things, expose corruption and inefficiency in administration of public funds, section 89 empowers it, among other things, to summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence or produce any document under his possession or control, related to the issues under investigation

“The PDP, therefore, urges the National Assembly to uphold the constitution by inviting President Buhari to produce documents that approved the withdrawal of the money, the terms of withdrawal, the channeling of the funds, as well as those involved in its handling.

“The PDP calls on the legislators to reflect on the pains of Nigerians, particularly, victims of killings, bloodlettings, kidnappings and other acts of violence, which continued unrepressed, while funds meant for security were reportedly being frittered.

“This is especially as allegation in the public space remain rife that funds meant for security in our nation were diverted to finance APC 2019 election campaigns, while insecurity fester in our country,” it stated.