PDP Leaders Panic As Buhari Digs Deeper Into $2.1bn Arms Scandal
The former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in panic mood following the arrest of some party’s chieftains by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Dasuki and Haruna in court
New Telegraph reports that many significant leaders of the PDP have become anxious that anyone could be implicated and arrested as the Federal Government digs deeper into the $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal.
A senior member of the party said that a good number of PDP chieftains are going to be affected by the arms procurement scandal.
A source said: “My brother, the situation is messy. A lot of our members benefitted in one way or the other from the fund meant for arms procurement. I’m afraid that the days ahead will be tough for some senior members of the PDP.”
READ ALSO: EFCC Raid Raymond Dokpesi’s Home In Abuja
Also, operatives of the anti-graft commission have arraigned Air Vice Marshal Salihu Atawodi (rtd), former chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Marine Safety.
A source at the EFFCC revealed that AVM Atawodi was blamed for deceiving the government to the tune of over N600 million through doubtful contracts to buy army boats.
The source said he gave the contract to one Alhaji Rabiu’s Hypertech Nigeria Limited.
The contractor was said to have been fully paid, but the boats were never received.
EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed Atawodi’s presence at the commission. He said the ex-presidential assistant is helping the probe.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had, on December 2, re-arrested former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki, former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa and Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in connection with arms deal fraud.
The source in the opposition PDP revealed that fear has gripped some party’s leaders since the last round of arrests were made.
READ ALSO: “Dasuki’s Arrest Is Continuation Of President Buhari’s Regime Of Revenge”
He said that every money collected from Dasuki office is noticeable because the “person will be made to sign for it.”
“The amount is stated and the purpose for which it is meant for. So it can be traced easily,” the source added.
The insider, who is a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, stated that he has urged most of his colleagues to be ready for arrest anytime.
“I advised that we should be mindful how we speak because it will look like PDP is defending corruption. Crisis is not good for the party. The (Sambo) Dasuki issue is taking another dimension. Before now, it was attracting some sympathy; but the way it is going, many people are having a rethink. He is our member and people will think the money was used for campaign,” he said.
The issue was reportedly widely discussed at the National Working Committee meeting of the PDP held on December 3, Wednesday.
However, the spokesperson of former president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election, Femi Fani-Kayode, said the presidential campaignorganisation has nothing to do with the money supposedly paid to the Dokpesi from the office of Dasuki.
Fani-Kayode added that Dokpesi was not a member of the PDP presidential campaign organisation.
He said: “As far as we are concerned, we don’t have anything to do with the payment made to Dokpesi for publicity.
“Dokpesi is not part of the Presidential Campaign Organisation. We have the structure; you know the Director General, you know the directors. We did not spend one kobo from the public fund.
READ ALSO: REVEALED: Why EFCC Picked Up Dokpesi, Ex-Governor Bafarawa
“All the monies we spent were from private contributions, the fact is there for anybody to scrutinise. Dokpesi is not part of us, and you know this.
“If he says he collected money from somebody for something, that’s between him and the person. I am just concerned about the way the country is going.”
However, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s Federal Government yesterday dug deeper into its current investigation of the $2.1 billion arms procurement scam as it employed the services of a private legal practitioner, Oladipupo Opeseyitan to prosecute Dasuki who is standing before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The court on former national security adviser postponed till December 8 for hearing.
Dasuki, through his counsel, said that he did not at any point make a statement implicating anyone or group in the accusation of $2 billion arms purchase agreement brought against him by the government.
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