PDP Governors Raise Alarm As EFCC Probes Party’s Sale Of Nomination Forms

The PDP Governors’ Forum on Saturday expressed concern over the
move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to
investigate the party’s finance.

The forum in a statement by its Director-General, CID Maduabum,
in Abuja, said that the PDP was up to date in submission of it
yearly financial account to the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, as required by the Constitution.

Mr Maduabum said that the PDP governors were not aware that INEC
made any complaints to EFCC on PDP’s returns.

He said the recent invitation of PDP officials by the EFCC
raised some concerns on the impartiality of the anti-graft
agency.

Mr Maduabum said PDP as a political party was accountable to its
members and the general public for its actions.

”The PDP governors were concerned that it was a misplaced
priority and move to silence political opposition,” the DG
said.

He advised the EFCC’s new leadership to learn from the mistakes
of its predecessors.

“Even the petition in question did not make a single allegation
of misuse of government funds, nor cheating of any individual or
public authority by the PDP.

“It is, therefore, surprising that EFCC should use its scarce
human and other resources to begin an investigation into PDP
finances.

“If EFCC is even-handed and non-partisan, it should also conduct
an investigation into other political parties including the ruling
party,” Mr Maduabum said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a member of PDP, Kazeem
Afegbua, had petitioned the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for a probe
of the party’s accounts.

Mr Afegbua in the petition submitted to the EFCC and ICPC in
April, asked that the PDP leadership account for the sum of N10
billion allegedly realised from the sale of forms in 2019 general
elections.

This made the anti-graft agency to invite PDP officials for
investigation.

The PDP, however, denied the allegation that it generated the
sum of N10 billion from sale of nomination and expression of
interest forms in 2019.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at
a news conference in Abuja, said that the PDP generated N4.6
billion, and raised a budget for its expenditure, in line with all
known financial regulations. NAN

The PDP Governors’ Forum on Saturday expressed concern over the
move by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to
investigate the party’s finance.

The forum in a statement by its Director-General, CID Maduabum,
in Abuja, said that the PDP was up to date in submission of it
yearly financial account to the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, as required by the Constitution.

Mr Maduabum said that the PDP governors were not aware that INEC
made any complaints to EFCC on PDP’s returns.

He said the recent invitation of PDP officials by the EFCC
raised some concerns on the impartiality of the anti-graft
agency.

Mr Maduabum said PDP as a political party was accountable to its
members and the general public for its actions.

”The PDP governors were concerned that it was a misplaced
priority and move to silence political opposition,” the DG
said.

He advised the EFCC’s new leadership to learn from the mistakes
of its predecessors.

“Even the petition in question did not make a single allegation
of misuse of government funds, nor cheating of any individual or
public authority by the PDP.

“It is, therefore, surprising that EFCC should use its scarce
human and other resources to begin an investigation into PDP
finances.

“If EFCC is even-handed and non-partisan, it should also conduct
an investigation into other political parties including the ruling
party,” Mr Maduabum said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a member of PDP, Kazeem
Afegbua, had petitioned the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for a probe
of the party’s accounts.

Mr Afegbua in the petition submitted to the EFCC and ICPC in
April, asked that the PDP leadership account for the sum of N10
billion allegedly realised from the sale of forms in 2019 general
elections.

This made the anti-graft agency to invite PDP officials for
investigation.

The PDP, however, denied the allegation that it generated the
sum of N10 billion from sale of nomination and expression of
interest forms in 2019.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at
a news conference in Abuja, said that the PDP generated N4.6
billion, and raised a budget for its expenditure, in line with all
known financial regulations. NAN