The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) on Sunday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Festus Keyamo, the minister of state for labour and employment, over an alleged “abuse of office.”
The council also called on the Federal Government anti-corruption and anti-narcotics agencies to avail Nigerians of their findings on recent drug trafficking allegations against Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Daniel Bwala, spokesperson of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, while addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, declared that “Tinubu does not enjoy immunity. We hereby call on the EFCC, the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Department of State Services to arrest and prosecute him”
The council noted that Keyamo, being a serving cabinet minister, was using his office “to bully and intimidate an institution of government.”
This is coming on the heels of a recent statement by Keyamo, who said that he has written a letter to agencies of the government who are the same members of the executive branch of government and demanded that in 72 hours they should prosecute a presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar
The PDP noted that Keyamo had “bragged about their powers and control of the law enforcement”
The party also accused Keyamo of using the taxpayers’ money and official privilege and powers to compromise the agencies of the government.
“This is even coming amid the widespread allegation of corruption involving the minister and the N52 billion approved to his ministry for the empowerment of 774 LGA Nigerians.
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“The National Assembly had called for an investigation of how the project was executed and until now the issue has not been told to the Nigerian people.
The council noted that this “singular conduct has brought the government of President Buhari to disrepute and threatened the legacy he said he will leave behind.
“It is believed now that President Buhari who recently was reported as saying cabinet members should focus on governance and not be involved in the campaign has since made a U-turn and task on his cabinet members to influence the agencies of government in favour of APC.
“Members of the opposition are reported to be increasingly invited by law enforcement for one question or the other in order to weaken the opposition.
“We call on the president to sack the minister of state for labour and employment forthwith for using an official position funded by taxpayers’ money to interfere with the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. We also call on the president to read the riots act to agents of the government from interfering with this election. Any effort to intimidate opposition is an effort to interfere with the conduct of peaceful elections.”
The party recalled how years ago, the former managing director of Alpha Beta lodged a petition at the EFCC against the former governor of Lagos State and now a presidential candidate of APC, Bola Tinubu.
“The petition involves massive corruption and misappropriation of funds belonging to the government of Lagos state, abuse of official office, and conflict of interests. The said petition raised issues bordering on a wide range of corruption allegations and we call on the EFCC to address the nation on their findings of the investigation which we believe is long overdue”
The PDP campaign council also recalled that the court in Chicago had convicted Tinubu of drug and narcotic-related issues to which he forfeited some money.
“Our country is afflicted by opioids, and other drug-related cases which have constituted a threat to our national security. An example is the recent interception of large volumes of cocaine by the NDLEA to which the nation is still awaiting a statement about not only the immediate individuals who were arrested but the links and association of these individuals to any person no matter how highly placed he or she is in the society. Recently even a spy cop (Abba Kari) was arrested and is being prosecuted for allegations of drugs and narcotics. We call on the NDLEA to address the nation on the busted drugs and possible linkage
According to the council, “the presidential candidate of APC via his agents has created a militia called “Jagaban Soldiers” and “Batalions” for the alleged purposes of executing his political agenda which could have a wider implication to the peaceful conduct of elections and the human rights of the citizens of Nigeria.
“Only God knows what their plans are, but it is predictable because the militia was created shortly after the leaked video of the candidate of APC in London calling on his followers and members of APC to embark on widespread violence towards the election.
“The video has been in the public domain. Also, shortly after his declaration, violence has visited several states by members of APC on the opposition in rallies, homes, streets etc. The creation of militia has never happened in the history of politics in Nigeria until now.” Bwala said.
