The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday accused the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, of using anti-graft agencies that plays to its tune, to haunt some of its members.
This is in response to the call made by APC that anti-corruption agencies should probe members of the PDP over their alleged links with the recently nabbed fraudster, Raymond Abbas, aka Hushpuppi.
This was contained in a statement signed by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, titled, “Hushpuppi: APC Is Irresponsible, Reckless…Says Fabrication Exposes APC’s Victimization Agenda”.
According to the statement, the party describes the call “as reckless, irresponsible and further exposes the victimisation agenda of the APC”.
Ologbondiyan stated, “The fabrications have also further exposed how the APC administration has 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 PDP states that the desperate bid to frame innocent Nigerians who are not in any way involved with Hushpuppi, even after a very broad investigation by prominent investigators including the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, leaves no one in doubt that APC government has been victimizing opposition members with fabricated charges.”
The PDP noted that the call for probe of some of its members like Yakubu Dogara, former Ekiti Governor, Ayo Fayose, Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, is “part of a heinous design by certain power mongers close to the APC administration to commence a fresh clampdown on perceived political rivals within and outside the opposition circles, ahead of the 2023 general election.”
“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.
“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,” the PDP added.