After PDP’s stalwart Abdullahi Jalo had asked ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to speak up on the raging $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal uncovered in his administration, the party has denounced Jalo, saying he only spoke for himself.
“The national leadership of the party wishes to clarify that Jalo is not a member of the National Working Committee and does not have the mandate of the party to speak on its behalf on any matter whatsoever. Under our constitution, only the National Chairman and the National Publicity Secretary or anybody so designated by the National Chairman or the National Working Committee speaks for the party,” the PDP stated Tuesday in a press release signed by Victor Kwon, the party’s national legal adviser.
Jalo’s position was informed by the manner Olisa Metu, PDP’s national publicity secretary, confirmed to the EFCC that Jonathan assigned him certain duties, with funds allocated, which he carried out. He said this in defence of the N400 million he got from the office of the NSA, and N1.4 billion found in his company’s account.
Others who shared in the loot also claim they got the money from the PDP—not from the ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki who is being investigated for misappropriating the arms vote.
The EFCC in its investigations, however, said nothing has yet to indicate Jonathan asked them to stash the fund away. According to Ibrahim Magu, the commission’s chairman, the ex-president only gave approval for arms purchase for the military campaign against Boko Haram in the northeast.
But the opposition believes the APC government led by President Muhammadu Buhari is on a witch hunt of the PDP, and its insisting its member in the EFCC detention should be released or charged to court.
“The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it has not changed its demand that the Party’s spokesman, Olisa Metuh, be immediately released or charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,” the party stated.
“The PDP has expressly explained in various statements and press conferences that it is not in any way against fighting corruption provided it is done within the confines of rule of law and respect for the fundamental human rights of citizens.