- Safiu Kehinde
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has faulted the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, labelling it a rehabiliation centre for corruption suspects.
NPO Reported that the APC had earlier today unveiled the list of members of the council as campaign for the 2027 General Election commences.
While Tinubu had picked former Zamfara state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, as his campaign Director-General, the council also comprised of several APC political office holders former members of the president’s cabinet like ex-Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Betta Edu, and others.
Reacting in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC faukted the inclusion of Edu in the council, citing her dismissal by Tinubu over alleged fraud.
ADC also pointed at the inclusion of former NSITF Chairman, Ngozi Olejeme, who faced prosecution over allegations of financial malpractices , among others whose name carry pungent odour of corruption.
The party accused Tinubu and the APC of clearing cases of corrupt officials under prosecution.
“We have taken note of the composition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council. What should ordinarily be a political task team ends up looking like a rehabilitation system for individuals carrying unresolved questions of corruption and public accountability.
“We note, especially the inclusion of former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu, who was suspended by President Tinubu following the controversy surrounding the attempted transfer of N585 million into a private account as well as Former NSITF Chairman Ngozi Olejeme, who has faced EFCC prosecution over allegations of financial malpractices , among others whose name carry pungent odour of corruption.
“One important question that the inclusion of these individuals provokes is what happened to the cases involving these individuals.
“If they have been cleared, the government should show how and when and by whom they were cleared.
“It has become a familiar pattern under this administration for investigations into financial crimes to quietly disappear only for the accused to suddenly reappear in a different official role.
“Under this government, corruption allegations increasingly appear to have an expiry date. Once a person becomes politically useful enough, yesterday’s questions apparently no longer require today’s answers.” The statement partly read.
However, the ADC noted that the 2027 election will be a referendum on Tinubu’s record, stressing that no amount of political backing can erase the pain of Nigerians caused by hardship allegedly under the Tinubu-led asministration.
“The President may assemble his old friends and political allies, including those carrying unresolved corruption questions, but all of their collective brooms cannot sweep away the grave pains they have brought on the Nigerian people.
“They cannot campaign away the cost of living crisis or the endemic poverty that their bad policies have created.
“For three years, they have told Nigerians who can barely afford food to tighten their belts, while those connected to the government continue to live in obscene opulence, feeding fat on the common wealth. The time for reckoning has come.” The ADC wrote further.
The party reiterated the pledge of its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to return fuel subsidy and reduce cost of living.
ADC accused the APC of turning doen down demand for independent audit of the funds rcovered from the subsidy removal by the ruling party.
“We have observed the flurry of government sponsored attacks on our proposal for a targeted, capped, budgeted and independently audited subsidy intervention on the grounds that Nigeria cannot afford it.
“However, what we understand the APC government to be saying is that Nigeria cannot afford to protect struggling families.
“They are saying that a government that has continued to engage in monumental waste of resources cannot afford to help poor Nigerians who are merely struggling to survive.” It said.
The ADC demanded accountabikty from the Tinubu-led administration.
“Our proposal is straightforward: every naira must be traceable and every barrel accounted for.
“Before President Tinubu lectures Nigerians about the cost of helping them, he should account for the cost of his own government’s wrong-headed policy that has turned state governors into wastrels and federal agents into profligates.” It added.