The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the federal government of mooting the idea of an Interim Government, saying it (PDP), rejects it in its entirety.
The party alleged that the idea is being mooted by the minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on behalf of the presidency.
The PDP added that it cannot accept any form of unconstitutional governance and a contraption like an interim government because it is confident of a landslide victory on February 16, given the overwhelming support, which it’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, enjoys among Nigerians.
The director, Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO), Kola Ologbondiyan, said a suggestion of an Interim Government, under any pretext, context or contemplation can only come from desperate and unpatriotic minds in a failed administration or political party that has lost hope of being re-elected in a free, fair and credible election due to its manifest incompetence and humongous corruption.
“Every Nigerian knows the desperation of the APC and the Buhari Presidency ahead of the 2019 general elections, leading to their resort to threats, intimidation and clamp down on dissenting voices, as well as, assault on institutions of democracy, in the face of incontrovertible indices pointing to their imminent crushing defeat at the polls.
“The PDP has already alerted Nigerians that Alhaji Lai Mohammed had let out APC’s ignoble ‘Plan B’ of ‘if we can’t have it, then destroy it’, which is to cause violence, derail the electoral process and blame it on the opposition; not minding the damage such could cause the nation, including human and material losses.
“We hope such cruel plot, as revealed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is not the underlining reason behind the APC administration’s alleged neglect and undermining of our security forces fighting in the fronts.
“The PDP demands that Alhaji Lai Mohammed comes clear on the source of his information, if it is not a plot being hatched by the APC.
“He should tell Nigerians if his source was the Police, the military or the Directorate of State Services (DSS) so that they can appropriately channel their concerns.
“The PDP therefore urges Nigerians to be at alert and keep an eye on the APC in their nefarious plans against our nation, now that they have made their strategy public.
“On our own part, the PDP is prepared and ready for the elections. We have been going round the country peacefully, campaigning and presenting our candidate, policies and programmes to the electorate.
“The PDP will therefore not accept any form of interim government, not when Nigerians have already attained a consensus to rally behind and vote in the people’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as their next President, come February 16, 2019,” the party said.
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Meanwhile, the PDP has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and former director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and prosecute other leaders of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), who have been openly indicted of corruption.
Ologbondiyan in a statement said that singling out Babachir Lawal and Ayodele Oke, for prosecution, while providing official cover to numerous other indicted APC leaders and persons close to him, President Buhari has further confirmed that he is indeed partisan and insincere in prosecuting the anti-corruption fight.
“Moreover, the fact that, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. President had to give his nod before Babachir and Oke could be prosecuted, also goes to further confirm that President Buhari has annexed the system and directly determines who is prosecuted and who is spared.
“The PDP therefore challenges President Buhari to immediately order the prosecution of all APC leaders, particularly members of his Presidential Campaign Council, beginning with the APC factional national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the campaign Director-General, Rotimi Amaechi, other directors and zonal coordinators, who have allegations of corruption hanging on their necks.
“Mr. President should also immediately order the prosecution of the former aide to the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, Mr. Baba Inna, who was arrested in September last year, over accusations of receiving N2.5 billion from politicians, businessmen and women on behalf of the First Lady.
“In the same vein, he should also order the prosecution of Mrs. Amina Mohammed, who while being paraded by the Department of State Services (DSS), last year stated in public that persons close to President Buhari were involved in serial fraud and looting of public resources under the official cover of the Buhari Presidency.
“President Buhari should also order an open inquest into alleged involvement of some individuals said to be close to the Buhari Presidency in the N1.032 trillion alleged corrupt acquisitions in 9Mobile and Keystone Bank PLC.
“He is also invited to order an investigation into allegations that persons close to him and serving in his Presidency took N500 million as bribe to reduce the fine imposed on a telecommunication company operating in the country, from N1.03 trillion to N330 billion.
“Furthermore, we challenge President Buhari to allow an inquest into the N14 trillion looted oil money under his watch, as detailed in the NNPC leaked memo; the handling of the repatriated $322million that has been siphoned under the guise of sharing to the poor; the N33 billion Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) intervention fund and the billions of naira already frittered through the ‘Tradermoni scheme’.
“Until Mr. President musters the required political will to carry out these actions, his war against corruption remains a charade.
