by Taiwo Amodu, Abuja,
THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has urged former president and the candidate of the party in 2015 general elections, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to shed light on the alleged diversion of the $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase into his presidential campaign.
Former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda and five others have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Peter Afen of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja on a 22-count charge of conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and criminal breach of trust (aka Dasukigate).
Yuguda was charged alongside with Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd), a former National Security Adviser (NSA); Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration NSA’s office, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafawara, a former governor of Sokoto State; Sagir Attahiru, his son and Dalhatu Investment Limited.
Former National Chairman of the party and Acting Chairman Board of Trustees, Dr. Haliru Bello, was last Tuesday arraigned with his son, Abba and their company, BAM Projects and Properties Limited over their alleged roles in the $ 2.1 billion arms deal during the Jonathan administration.
Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, said Jonathan must break his silence on the investigation of certain stalwarts of the PDP to save the party from the public odium the probe has generated. Jalo said: “As all of you know, no single kobo can be spent by the Federal Govern- ment without an Act of the National Assembly. Money earmarked for arms pur- chase, some people diverted it to something else. So many people that you cannot even expect were involved. Now, darkness has come to light.
“Jonathan is alive, he should clarify whether he asked his former NSA to dis- tribute money meant to fight Boko Haram into his campaign.”
Jalo, who insisted that the transactions between the party chieftains facing trial did not receive the blessing of the former president, noted that a dinner was organised by the Presidency in conjunction with the party to raise funds specifically for Jonathan’s campaign.
“All of you are aware that there was a dinner, where money meant for campaign was realised. That’s known to all of us, billions of naira were given by business ty- coons in this country.
“So, why should somebody now tell us that money meant for arms and appropriated by the National Assembly was diverted into PDP campaign.
“Haliru Bello did a con- tract with the office of Sambo Dasuki to the tune of N600 million with his company’s name, not PDP.
“In the case of Olisa Metuh, his company allegedly had transactions with the office of National Security Adviser. So, what is PDP business with that?
“We want those people that have been accused to shed light, whether they were given the money to campaign for Jonathan.”
“Did they bring the money to the party’s national secretariat? “PDP has nothing to do with individuals that used their companies to do con- tracts with National Security Adviser,” he said.