The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) has accused the Presidency of diverting military funds to finance the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The campaign organisation therefore called for an independent investigation by the INTERPOL, Directorate of State Services (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the matter.
The 2019 General Election is billed for February 16 and March 2, 2019 respectively.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Kola Ologbondiyan, Director, Media & Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, said it made the call, following Buhari’s failure to directly speak out on the allegations against his family members as well as explain how they came about the sum of N1.032 trillion for the alleged acquisition of 9Mobile Nigeria and Keystone Bank PLC.
He also accused the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, of using military funds to produce campaign materials for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).
His words: “The Presidency has blatantly refused to respond to allegations that military fund is being used to finance President Buhari’s re-election campaign which even manifested in the use of military resources to produce APC’s campaign materials, including an electronic momento book by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali.
“The PPCO is deeply worried by the disturbing videos of our gallant soldiers languishing and being killed by insurgents due to neglect and failure of the Buhari administration to adequately equip them in the fronts.
“The PPCO is also unhappy by similar videos, showing our soldiers protesting and threatening to retreat from the fronts, while grumbling against their neglect by the Buhari administration.
“This should not be the way to go for our nation. Our soldiers are brave and have continued to show the highest form of professionalism and unmatched patriotism in risking and laying down their lives in defence of fatherland. Therefore, any action by anybody that is capable of reducing their morale in the fronts must never be allowed.
“The PPCO invites Nigerians to continue to be at alert and give all support to our fighting troops as the fight against terrorism in our land must continue to be a collective effort. We therefore insist on this inquest and urge Nigerians to give their support in this regard”.
The campaign organisation also raised the alarm by the APC and the Presidency of pressurising the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to drop the display of results at the Polling Units as well as the electronic transmission of results.
According to Ologbondiyan, the electoral guidelines would ensure free, fair and transparent elections, even as he accused the commission of plotting to recruit APC members who are former members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as ad-hoc staff for the forthcoming election.
He also called on the electoral body to include local and international observers to its situation room to ensure that election results are not tampered with.
“The Buhari Presidency is desperate to remove these requirements because the display of results at the polling units ensures that results posted at all levels remain those originally announced at the various polling units, while the electronic transmission to INEC server ensures that the results from the polling centers are not tampered with. PDP also demands that INEC allows both local and international observers to its situation room to ensure that the final figures are not tampered with.
“The APC and Buhari Presidency are mounting pressure on INEC to drop the requirements so as to pave way for their planned alteration of results and allocation of fictitious figures to President Buhari during the collation process.
“Prof. Yakubu must not succumb to the pressure of the Buhari Presidency, because doing so will definitely set him on a collision course with Nigerians.
“This demand has become imperative in the face of allegations and public apprehensions that the INEC Chairman is being offered humongous sums of money, running into billions of naira, by agents of the APC and the cabal at the Buhari Presidency to accede to their demands.
“Information at our disposal further reveals that the INEC Chairman has been under pressure from this group said to be coordinated by President Buhari’s blood relation in INEC, who, we are surprised, Prof Yakubu still allows around himself.
“Prof. Yakubu is now counseled to distance himself from these very dangerous racketeers and the commission from this very dangerous racket, as Nigerians will directly hold him responsible should these two important guidelines that guarantee transparency in the elections suddenly disappear from the INEC manual,” he added.
