PDP Leaders Panic As Buhari Digs Deeper
The former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in a panic following the arrest of some of the party’s chieftains by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
New Telegraph reports that many significant leaders of the PDP have become anxious that anyone could be implicated and arrested as the federal government digs deeper into the $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal.
A senior member of the party said that a good number of PDP chieftains are going to be affected by the arms procurement scandal.
A source said: “My brother, the situation is messy. A lot of our members benefitted in one way or the other from the fund meant for arms procurement. I’m afraid that the days ahead will be tough for some senior members of the PDP.”
READ ALSO: EFCC Raid Raymond Dokpesi's Home In Abuja
Operatives of the anti-graft commission have also arraigned Air Vice Marshal Salihu Atawodi (rtd), the former chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Marine Safety.
A source at the EFCC revealed that Atawodi was blamed for deceiving the government to the tune of over N600 million through doubtful contracts to buy army boats.
The source said he gave the contract to one Alhaji Rabiu’s Hypertech Nigeria Limited.
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The contractor was said to have been fully paid, but the boats were never received.
EFCC's spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed Atawodi’s presence at the commission. He said the ex-presidential assistant is helping the probe.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had, on December 2, re-arrested the former national security adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki, the former Sokoto state governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, and the chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in connection with an alleged arms deal fraud.
The source in the opposition PDP revealed that fear has gripped some party’s leaders since the last round of arrests were made.
READ ALSO: “Dasuki’s Arrest Is Continuation Of President Buhari’s Regime Of Revenge”
He said that all money collected from Dasuki office is traceable because the “person will be made to sign for it.”
“The amount is stated and the purpose for which it is meant for. So it can be traced easily,” the source added.
The insider, who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, stated that he has urged most of his colleagues to be ready for arrest at any time.
“I advised that we should be mindful how we speak because it will look like PDP is defending corruption. Crisis is not good for the party. The Dasuki issue is taking another dimension. Before now, it was attracting some sympathy; but the way it is going, many people are having a rethink. He is our member and people will think the money was used for campaign,” he said.
The issue was reportedly widely discussed at the National Working Committee meeting of the PDP held on December 3, Wednesday.
However, the spokesperson of former president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election, Femi Fani-Kayode, said the presidential campaign organisation has nothing to do with the money supposedly paid to Dokpesi from Dasuki's office.
Fani-Kayode added that Dokpesi was not a member of the PDP presidential campaign organisation.
He said: “As far as we are concerned, we don’t have anything to do with the payment made to Dokpesi for publicity.
“Dokpesi is not part of the Presidential Campaign Organisation. We have the structure; you know the Director General, you know the directors. We did not spend one kobo from the public fund.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: Why EFCC Picked Up Dokpesi, Ex-Governor Bafarawa
“All the monies we spent were from private contributions, the fact is there for anybody to scrutinise. Dokpesi is not part of us, and you know this.
“If he says he collected money from somebody for something, that’s between him and the person. I am just concerned about the way the country is going.”
The government yesterday dug deeper in its current investigation of the $2.1 billion arms procurement scam as it employed the services of a private legal practitioner, Oladipupo Opeseyitan, to prosecute Dasuki who is standing before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The court has postponed the hearing of the case against Dasuki till December 8.
Dasuki, through his counsel, said that he did not at any point make a statement implicating anyone or any group in the accusation brought against him by the EFCC of a fraudulent $2 billion arms purchase agreement.
Source: Legit.ng
