Hold public hearing on FCT fund, land allocation, CP-PDP challenges Wike
By Tunde Opalana
The Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) has demanded from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Chief Nyesom Wike total accountability on the funds of the FCT and allocation of lands.
The CP- PDP demanded that Wike should hold a live media public hearing and allow Nigerians to engage him on the management of funds and lands in the FCT the same way he has been holding live media chats on the activities of the PDP.
Its Protem National Coordinator, Barr. Obinna Nwachukwu in a statement on Thursday said the CP-PDP’s position was predicated on “messy allegations of corruption, mismanagement of funds, land grabbing, racketeering, vindictive revocation and demolition of property as well as alleged fleecing of residents, commuters and businesses in the FCT with heavy tariffs, multiple levies and fees in the last two years.”
The Conference further alleged that this is in addition to “allegations of treasury looting, opaque award and inflation of contracts, pillaging of collected levies and non-compliance with public spending due process by officials especially since the removal of the FCT from the monitoring mechanisms of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).”
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Barrister Nwachukwu said “as professionals, the Conference, after thorough review, submits that the arbitrary removal of the FCT from the TSA by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an invitation to unaccountability and recklessness in the management of the resources of the Territory.
“The Conference therefore demands that the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike convene a live media public hearing and open the books of the FCT for public scrutiny in line with the demands of accountability and transparency under a democratic government.
“Moreover, the FCT Minister is availed the opportunity of the public hearing to clear the air on the issues as well as come clean on the source of funding for his foreign trips, partisan engagements and heavy convoy, since assumption of office which create the impression that the minister is in popularity contest with the President.
“While awaiting the FCT Minister on the earliest date, time and venue for the live media public hearing, the CP-PDP directs all professionals in public accounts, procurements, land management, contract award and implementation, project engineering and monitoring to immediately commence compilation of necessary materials as memoranda ahead of the hearing.”
The CP-PDP reassured Nigerians of its commitment towards democracy, transparency, stability and growth in the polity.
