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PDP alleges N242b election budget plot to frustrate 2019 polls

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh (Abuja) and Eric Meya (Sokoto)
19 July 2018   |   3:54 am
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to the National Assembly to vire N242 billion already approved for other projects in the 2018 budget to finance the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other agencies was a plot to frustrate the 2019 general elections.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (left); Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus and former governor of the state, Attahiru Bafarawa, during a courtesy visit to the governor by PDP national leadership at the Government House over the recent killings in Gandi, Rabah Local Council of the state… yesterday.

Buhari govt has failed woefully, says Secondus

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to the National Assembly to vire N242 billion already approved for other projects in the 2018 budget to finance the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other agencies was a plot to frustrate the 2019 general elections.

The party further alleged that the request by the President was a booby trap deliberately set to drag the elections into a financial controversy and ultimately subvert the entire process.The PDP, in a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Buhari’s action was to frustrate the election, having realised he would lose the 2019 poll.

It, therefore, called on Nigerians and the international community to note that “this request is a deliberate plot to inject disagreements in the polity, cause confusion in the electoral system and set the stage for a political crisis capable of frustrating the conduct of the elections.”

“The President is aware that his request is in no way in consonant with constitutional provisions and extant rules guiding legislative virement of funds already meant for constituency development projects, yet he sent same to the National Assembly.

“If the President meant well for the nation and had no ulterior motives, he should have sent a fresh supplementary budget to the National Assembly for whatever amount he seeks for INEC, instead of seeking for a controversial virement,” the statement said.

The party said Buhari must come to terms with the fact that Nigerians are eager for the 2019 general elections and are not ready to be taken for a ride by any person whatsoever in their quest for a new president come May 29, 2019.In another development, the National Chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, has said that the Buhari-led Federal Government has failed woefully, particularly in the area of security.

Secondus stated this yesterday when he led a powerful delegation of the party, including the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Walid Jibrin; former Vice President and presidential aspirant, Abubakar Atiku; former state governors and presidential aspirants, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa and Sule Lamido; former Special Duties Minister, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, among others, on a condolence visit to Sokoto State.

He said Nigerians were agitated and now live in fear because of the unprecedented blood-bath taking place nationwide.According to him, the country has lost count of those killed even from January till date and the Federal Government had not been doing anything.He stated that Nigerians were in pains and in fear of when and where it would happen next and also wondering when this would end.

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