The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the statement by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) linking prominent opposition members with the disgraced accused fraudster, Raymond Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, as reckless and irresponsible, saying it was another subterfuge to silence dissenting voices and critics of by the Buhari administration.
“Nigerians should not be surprised when the APC will begin to list the names of innocent political leaders, including those who are now being persecuted in their party, on trumped-up charges, for political interests. While our party has no link whatsoever with Hushpuppi, as the APC also acknowledged, Nigerians are aware that his pictures with some prominent Nigerians, such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, which the APC is frenzied about, do not suggest any affinity beyond the usual jostling by people, the world over, to be photographed with leaders. Of course, such happens to all prominent individuals, especially leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari,” the PDP noted in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.
According to Ologbondiyan, the desperate bid to frame innocent Nigerians not in any way involved with Hushpuppi, even after a broad investigation by prominent investigators, including the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), showed that the APC government has been victimizing opposition members with fabricated charges. The PDP statement said the fabrications have exposed how the APC administration has been using agencies under its control to frame innocent opposition members, dissenting voices, rival political parties and perceived opponents of the government on trumped-up charges under the guise of fighting corruption.
The party described the statement by the APC as part of a heinous design by certain power mongers close to the APC administration to commence a fresh clampdown on perceived political rivals within and outside the opposition circles, ahead of the 2023 general election. “It is, therefore, unfortunate that a ruling party, which is now led by a sitting governor, is spending its energy to frame innocent Nigerians instead of confronting the myriads of economic and security problems it caused the nation, in addition to finding a solution to the serious demands of COVID-19 pandemic.”
The PDP said, if the APC is indeed fighting corruption, it should have called for the investigation of its leaders who, as state governors, ministers and even APC national chairman have been indicted for misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds. The PDP wondered why the APC failed to call for investigations after Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state was caught on a video that went viral on social media; stuffing dollar bill proceeds of corruption under his gandura. The PDP also questioned the selective amnesia of the APC concerning the APC candidate in the Edo 2020 gubernatorial election, Ize-Iyamu, who had publicly been declared as a treasury looter, only good for “night meetings” and unfit to be a state governor by former APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
The PDP said: “Having been exposed, the PDP cautions the APC to steer clear of our members and other hard working Nigerians, in various fields of endeavor, who are perceived to be opponents of the APC.
Our party will not be distracted by the APC, which has gone into panic mode over its imminent electoral loss in Edo as well as Ondo States.”
