The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the latest revelation of $65 million (N31 billion) fraud in the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), in which President Muhammadu Buhari’s son in-law, Gimba Yau Kumo, is reportedly involved.

The party charged the ICPC not to succumb to reported pressure from the cabal in the Buhari Presidency but to track down Yau Kumo, the former Managing Director of the FMBN, who had already been declared wanted, and bring him to book alongside his accomplices.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP expressed disappointment that “the Buhari Presidency had remained silent in the face of this huge fraud involving Mr. President’s son in-law; a beneficiary of the primitive family patronage in the Buhari administration, only for certain members of the cabal to be reportedly mounting pressure on the ICPC to let him off the hook.”

The PDP said it is wicked, afflicting and provocative that while millions of hardworking Nigerians cannot afford their daily meals and other basic necessities of life due to the “misrule and corruption of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its administration”, they are daily assailed by revelations of unbridled treasury looting under President Buhari’s watch.

“Is it not provocative that at the time the Buhari administration is moving to cut workers’ salaries; increased the cost of fuel, electricity and other tariffs; in a country with over 33 percent unemployment and where citizens have been subjected to the worst forms of poverty; government officials, cronies and relations of those in power are busy looting our agencies and carting away our common patrimony? The PDP queried.

According to the PDP, it is even more distressing that the looted FMBN money is part of funds contributed by Nigerians to meet their home needs which has instead fallen under “the predatory proclivities of the APC administration.”

The party lamented that “while the Buhari Presidency parades a “holier than thou attitude”, the nation’s vaults have been laid open for the ruthless pillaging by family members, relations, cronies in the Buhari Presidency.”

The statement continued: “Only last week, the nation was jolted by reports of the looting of over N165 billion in the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) under the suspended Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman and the purview of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, leading to widespread demand for their sack and prosecution.

“This is in addition to the alleged involvement of the wife of the transportation minister, Mrs. Edith Amaechi, in the reported N48 billion contract scam currently rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).”

The PDP urged the Buhari Presidency to allow for an open investigation of Mr. President’s son in-law as well as those fingered in the fraud in the NPA and the NDDC.

The lawmaker representing Oyo North in the Senate, Fatai Buhari, yesterday, challenged anyone that wants President Muhammadu Buhari impeached to come with one good reason to do so.

The senator stated this when he paid a Sallah visit to former Governor Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State.

He said that impeaching a President has a process, cautioning against causing problems that could not be easily solved.

He said: “Impeaching the President has a process. Anybody calling for the impeachment of the President should give a good reason. Then, we shall table it, discuss it, and the two chambers must come together. Impeaching the President is not what someone can just wake up one day and call for. There is a procedure for it. Why do you want to cause a problem and create confusion that you cannot solve?

“We have no other country than Nigeria. Nigeria is our country and our home. We should try and do internal security. We should play our own part and should not leave everything to government alone.

“There should be a local police that will be able to know the terrain and each other. We know ourselves no matter how. In the early 80s, we used to travel at night. Something fundamental is missing.”

The lawmaker, who disclosed that the Ninth Assembly had discussed the security matter over 50 times, said: “We discussed security issue over 30 times in the Eighth Assembly, and this present Ninth Assembly has also discussed it over 50 times. Let everybody be vigilant. Even, if we change service chiefs many times, that cannot solve security challenges.”

National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, urged Muslims to use the period of Eid-El-Fitri celebration to pray for sincere and genuine leadership that would save the country from its present socio-economic predicaments.

Secondus observed that six years after the nation’s democracy was handed over to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), it has become apparent that Nigeria is in a precarious situation because of glaring absence of leadership at a time it is most needed.

The PDP boss said the end of the 30-day Ramadan fasting offered Muslim faithful a good opportunity to reflect on the country’s democracy and pray for its survival.

“More than ever before, the country, since 1999, is under heavy stress, which demands that all hands need to be on deck for its survival. The end of the Holy month of Ramadan provides ample opportunity for positive attitude,” he stated.

In his Eid-El-Fitri message, Secondus said those in position of authority should use the period to underline the lessons of sacrifice and brotherly love, even as he advised that “our actions as leaders must not negate the fundamental prescriptions of our faith.”

“Most of the problems confronting the ordinary people would have been solved if leaders absorb the lesson of Ramadan and allow it to influence their conduct in and out of office.

“The only way the last 30 days of fasting and prayer will be meaningful in our lives as a nation is if we allow the solemnness of the period influence our thoughts and actions in relating with one another.”

The PDP chairman urged Nigerians to maintain their harmonious inter-faith relations, for attainment of desired peace, “without which we cannot achieve good governance.” He cautioned leaders to mind their utterances.

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