THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday challenged Vice President Osinbajo to name the three people he claimed stole $3 billion under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration and drag them before the anti-graft bodies rather than bandying figures about.
According to the party in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, it’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja, the Vice President as a professor of law and ought to know that patriotism demands that he should not make unsubstantiated claims but to place the names of such Nigerians in public.
The PDP said it also expects Osinbajo to take such names to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), if truly such Nigerians exist.
The PDP held that it is particularly improper for the occupant of the exalted office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to engage in a smear campaign and making unsubstantiated statements just for political reasons.
“That, our party believes, is descending to the public arena and the PDP, once again, cautions the Vice President to desist from making frivolous statements just to curry political support,” it said.
The main opposition party, therefore, urged the Vice President Osinbajo not to join President Muhammadu Buhari “in de-marketing our dear nation in a bid to score cheap political points and divert public attention from their failure in governance.”
It added: “Indeed, we had expected the Vice President to show leadership by naming those he claimed stole $3bn and making moves to ensure that the amount is recovered, instead of bandying figures in public events”
The party said Nigerians would want Osinbajo “to address the issue of colossal corruption under the Buhari administration, particularly in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), an agency under his purview and which is currently being investigated on issues related to the handling of N18 billion emergency intervention fund.
