The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of witch hunting its members with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), saying that the party would not be deterred from performing its duties as the leading opposition political party on account of the invitation of its officials by the EFCC.
It would be recalled that about a month ago, a PDP scribe, Kazeem Afegbua, petitioned EFCC demanding that the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee be scrutinize over allegations of financial misappropriation.
Sequel to this petition, EFCC asked the party’s National Chairman to release the National Auditor, National Organising Secretary and Director of Finance to report at the EFCC headquarters from May 19th to 21st 2021 for questioning.
In response to the petition, Secondus had filed a N1 billion suit against Afegbua, the petitioner.
However, the Party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, maintained that it did not raise the sum of N10 billion being frivolously bandied in some quarters as proceeds from the sale of nomination forms.
The Party restated that every expenditure by the National Working Committee (NWC) had always been in line with the budget approved by the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and in keeping with political parties financial due process.
The statement stated, “We further affirm that we have over the years submitted our audited accounts in line with statutory requirements and practice.
“However, as a responsible and public-spirited political party, we have honoured the invitation extended to our officials by the commission and we urge all party members, our teeming supporters across the nation and members of the public to remain calm.
“PDP assures that it will not succumb to any form of blackmail and political intimidation but will continue in its role of providing constructive opposition as well as being the national platform for all Nigerians in their rally to rescue and secure our nation from the misrule of the All Progressive Congress (APC)”.