We don’t cook books – Osun govt lambasts PDP

The Osun state government has reminded the Peoples Democratic Party that there is no strand of similarity between it and the party saying PDP governments at all levels were notorious for corruption, the very reason Nigerians rejected it at the poll. The Bureau of Communication and Strategy, office of the Governor took a swipe at the party which accused the government of “manufacturing documents” in anticipation of a purported planned probe of the bailout loans by the Senate.

The Bureau, in its statement signed by the director, Semiu Okanlawon, described as warped, opposition’s reasoning and conclusion that the government has hired an accounting firm to help it cook books of its expenditure since 2014. “PDP’s allegation is a fallout of what the party represented while it lorded over Nigerians. If the PDP government had not been good at falsifying and altering financial documents fraudulently, it would not have so easily jumped into conclusion that Osun has hired a firm to help it perfect fraud.

“The PDP’s statement merely reminds us why, since the anti-people party was booted out of office, Nigerians have been treated to series of mind-blowing financial malfeasance. Of course, the humongous financial recklessness of the PDP which is now public knowledge could only have been result of many years of “manufacturing documents”.  The statement also cautioned the media against falling prey to PDP’s deceits, adding that the party’s several lies are capable of robbing an unwary media organization of its honour and credibility in the estimation of right-thinking people.

“Our media organisations must be wary of the corrupting influence of PDP and its warped logic. When a party says a government has hired an accounting firm to “manufacture documents” to cover fraud, the responsibility the society places on the media compels it to carry out adequate investigation by subjecting such information to veracity and reliability tests.

“In the first place, are accounting firms set up to cook up books? Is this the first time a state government would be engaging service firms to build capacities and enhance government’s service delivery to the people? An accounting firm that subverts accountability has already destroyed the basis of its existence. “If our media houses had taken cognizance of these facts, it is certain that the PDP’s jejune claims would have ended up where it really belongs: the thrash can.”