The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday described as total fabrication, the attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to link some of its key members with suspected internet fraudster, Raymond Abass, aka Hushpuppi.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the claim had further exposed how the APC administration had been using agencies under its control to frame innocent opposition members, dissenting voices, rival political parties and perceived opponents of the government on trumped-up charges under the guise of fighting corruption.
The APC had on Saturday charged security agencies to probe the alleged link between some PDP chieftains including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-senate president, Bukola Saraki and two others after pictures showing them with the suspected fraudster in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) was released to the public via the social media.
The opposition party insisted that the desperate bid to frame innocent Nigerians who were not in any way involved with Hushpuppi, even after a very broad investigation by the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). left no one in doubt that the government had been victimizing opposition members with fabricated charges.
The statement read:
“Nigerians should not be surprised when the APC will begin to list the names of innocent political leaders, including those who are now being persecuted in their party, on trumped-up charges, for political interests.
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“While our party has no link whatsoever with Hushpuppi, as the APC also acknowledged, Nigerians are aware that his pictures with some prominent Nigerians, such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, which the APC is frenzied about, do not suggest any affinity beyond the usual jostling by people, world over, to be photographed with leaders.
“Of course, such happens to all prominent individuals, especially leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is therefore unfortunate that a ruling party, which is now led by a sitting governor, is spending its energy to frame innocent Nigerians instead of confronting the myriads of economic and security problems it caused the nation, in addition to finding solution to the serious demands of COVID-19 pandemic.
“If the APC is indeed fighting corruption, it should have called for the investigation of its leaders who, as state governors, ministers and even APC National Chairman have been indicted for stealing and treasury looting.
“The APC should be calling for the investigation of one of their state governors, who was seen on a viral video, stuffing his robe with gratification, in foreign currency, as well as their candidate in a forthcoming election, who has been declared by a former APC National Chairman as a treasury looter, who is only good for ‘night meetings’ and not fit to be state governor.”
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