APC is funding Ekiti election with Abacha loots – PDP declares

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has raised alarm that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) plots to fund the July 14 governorship election in the State with part of the Abacha loots and funds from the country’s crude oil sales.

The PDP described the 77-man campaign committee set up by the APC towards the State’s governorship election, as a “gathering of looters that will make the PDP victory in the July 14 election sweeter and memorable.”

The PDP in a statement in Ado Ekiti on Friday maintained that the appointment of Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, as Chairman of the 77-man Committee is a demonstration of the love the APC has for corruption.

The PDP said the 77-man campaign committee was another clear demonstration of the APC’s hatred for Nigerians, asking; “Was such committee set up on the nation’s economic problems, killings by herdsmen and hunger that is ravaging the country to the extent that Nigerians are committing suicide?”

The PDP State Chairman, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase, was cited to have said that it was funny that a party that claimed to be fighting corruption could appoint someone who was declared wanted in the United Kingdom for fraud to lead its campaign in Ekiti.

“It is on record that Governor Atiku Bagudu allegedly opened several bank accounts with Deutsche Morgan Greenfell Bank where funds stolen from Nigeria were lodged, but falsely claimed that the huge funds were proceeds from his legitimate private businesses in oil and trading,” Oguntuase had said.

The State Chairman further declared: “The British Embassy in Washington wrote to the United States Department of State to make a formal request with reference number 34/03 dated April 11, 2003 for the extradition of Bagudu to its territory to face trial and the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on May 7, 2003 issued a warrant for his arrest.

“On May 22, 2003, he was finally nabbed on the streets of Houston, Texas, by two officers and was consequently detained for about 60 days while a court proceeding was on to facilitate his extradition.

“On November 19, 2003, his wife, Aisha A. Bagudu, signed his bail bond of $500,000 cash, prompting his return to Nigeria. On his return to Nigeria, Bagudu actually refunded to the Central Bank of Nigeria through the office of the National Security Adviser the sum of $604,743,187.19, £60,090,984.93 and an additional £5.25 million.

“The then CBN Director of Foreign Operations, M. R Rasheed, acknowledged the refunds in a letter to Bagudu routed through the NSA.

“Today, the same Bagudu is the one that will lead APC campaign in Ekiti State and President Buhari, who claimed to be fighting corruption will stand beside him on the campaign podium to seek for votes.

“In other words, President Buhari and his APC will come to Ekiti to use corruption to seek for votes and return to Abuja to preach anti-corruption after losing the election.”

The PDP Chairman described the 77-man APC committee, as the Biblical Army of the Philistines going into battle with the Israelites. “If they like, they can gather all their governors, National Assembly members, States House of Assembly members and make President Buhari the campaign chairman, the party will be defeated by the might of Ekiti people,” Oguntuase declared.