The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has berated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that corruption in the country has been taken to the “next level” with what he described as the “vote and snap” syndrome, which characterized the recent National Assembly leadership elections.
The “vote and snap” symbolized the buying of votes during the National Assembly leadership elections whereby some senators and members of the House of Representatives used their cellphones to take photos of their ballots as proof that they voted for preferred candidates in order to collect money from the candidates who eventually emerged victorious.
Speaking at the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Secondus commended members of PDP at the Senate and House of Representatives, noting: “the ruling APC came up with their “green card vote and snap” fraudulent scheme that introduced an unprecedented dimension to the growing corruption index of the Buhari administration.
“My worry is the consequences this brazen corruption would have in the legislative activities of the ninth assembly,” Secondus said, adding: “while the executive is having their wish in the ninth assembly, PDP as the main opposition party is very uncomfortable that the level of corruption that preceded the emergence of the leadership is capable of undermining the desired robust legislative activities.
“Having ‘purchased’ the leadership of the parliament, we expect the cabals to now fully take over and dictate the show at the legislature. We have even seen the first sign of what is to come when the APC group in the Senate killed a motion to debate the June 12 speech of the imperial President.
“Only a conquered parliament with credibility challenges can shy away from discussing a major address of a president just sworn into office, but that is a sign of what is to come when choosing legislative leadership is heavily monetized by a regime that claims to be fighting corruption.
“The bazaar that took place during the election of National Assembly leaders clearly gives a picture of the anti-corruption status and how the APC has become home for looters. Just last week Nigerians witnessed how some corruption charges involving APC chieftains were withdrawn from the EFCC and handed over to the Attorney General for final dropping,” Secondus said.