By Baron Ike
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has said the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) should be rejected by Nigerians at all levels if the revelation on the $460m Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) which turned out to be a fraud is anything to go by.
The APC said on Friday that recent disclosures by the finance minister, Zainab Ahmed that the current administration continues to service a $460 million loan taken from China to fund a phony Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) contract is a stark reminder why Nigerians must continue to reject the PDP at all levels of government.
Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said in a statement that the “fraudulent CCTV contract was awarded in August 2010.”
Apparently targeting the coming Bayelsa and Kogi States governorship elections in November 16, the Party said the Abuja CCTV project is one among many such phoney projects with which the PDP used in siphoning Nigeria’s resources.
The statement read: “Lest we forget the $16billion spent on power with no electricity; fuel subsidy rackets; counter-insurgency funds that were diverted and shared to political cronies; a phoney gas supply and processing agreement which has left the current administration contesting a $9.6 billion judgment debt, among other corrupt schemes and heists perpetuated by consecutive PDP administrations during its 16 years rule.
“The good news is that those dark days of willful waste, procurement/contract frauds and institutionalised corruption are behind us. The President Muhammadu Buhari administration is progressively and aggressively instilling financial discipline, prudence, curbing leakages and ensuring probity in the way government conducts its business.
“The execution of the ongoing national infrastructure projects are a sharp departure from the past where contracts were awarded and cash-backed yet poorly executed or not executed at all. Today, Nigerians are getting full value for every kobo released for public works. Our public resources are now being rightly deployed to address our national infrastructure needs, social investments and other initiatives that directly benefit the people.
“Governorship elections are forthcoming in Bayelsa and Kogi states. We must not fall prey to the rapacious PDP again. We should be wary of whatever promises PDP is making ahead of the ballots in both Bayelsa and Kogi – a leopard cannot change its spots. Profligacy and corruption are in the PDP’s DNA. We must continuously strive to elect progressive governments at all levels, if we are to achieve the Nigeria of our dreams.
“The All Progressives Congress (APC) urges Nigerians to continue its support for the President Buhari administration’s campaign to end profligacy and restore probity, efficiency, and transparency in our national life.”