PDP, Presidency trade words over $1bn ECA fund

…Show how you spent $1bn security fund, PDP challenges Buhari

…You’re under a ‘socio-emotional distress, Presidency taunts opposition party

Tunde Opalana, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency on Sunday engaged in verbal war over the whereabouts of $1 billion Excess Crude Account (ECA) Fund withdrawn by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to fight insurgency.

While the PDP in a statement by it national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, expressed shock over revelations by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Mongunu, on the whereabouts of $1 billion ECA fund and challenged President Buhari to show how his government spent the amount,

the Presidency speaking through Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, dismissed the allegations, describing the PDP as being under a ‘socio-emotional distress’.

The PDP’s demand for public accountability to Nigerians followed the shocking confession by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Babagana Mongonu (rtd), that he is not aware of the whereabouts or disbursement of the $1 billion drawn from the ECA) by the Buhari Presidency in 2017 for security purposes.

According to PDP, the confession by the NSA, who coordinates the security architecture of the nation, directly places a huge burden on President Buhari’s doorsteps over reported stealing and diversion of funds meant for security, while insurgency, banditry, killings and kidnapping fester in the land under his watch.

The party said it has been vindicated by this revelation on its initial alarm that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration is overtly corrupt, deceptive and unreliable in the handling the affairs of the nation.

It added that the NSA’s revelation further validated the stance of the PDP that agents of the Buhari Presidency and the APC were hiding under the guise of security to siphon the $1bn from the ECA.

This, perhaps, informed the desperation by the cabal to draw from the Account without recourse to statutory due process of appropriation by the National Assembly.

Party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement on Sunday said “from Gen. Mongunu’s confession, Nigerians can further see why our nation is daily confronted with disturbing videos and reports of our fighting troops protesting their neglect and inadequate equipping, leading to their vulnerability in the fronts.

“Now, that the national security adviser has declared that he is not aware of the whereabouts of funds, the burden, straightaway, lies squarely on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately address the nation on how the money was handled.

“This is especially as there are already allegations in the public space that certain funds meant for security were diverted for 2019 campaign activities of the APC while our troops languished in the front.

“Our party had always alerted Nigerians that the APC administration was insincere in the handling of the ECA fund leading to our demand in 2017 for the National Assembly to investigate the handling of the $1bn.”

The PDP restated its demand that President Buhari allows for a system-wide investigation into the whereabouts of the $1bn, as well as the handling of other funds meant for security purposes under his watch.

The party called on Nigerians to note that such diversion of funds under the Buhari administration led to the articulation of a blueprint by Atiku Abubakar for a transparent system that eliminates siphoning of funds, particularly in our critical sectors.

Meanwhile, Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Sunday, described the PDP as being under a ‘socio-emotional distress.’

He said: “They think that all governments in the world run on the basis of freewheeling looting as they did their own.

“It’s on record that the Buhari administration paid about USD 490 million for a dozen Super Tucano fighter aircraft in a direct, government-to-government (no Contractors or Commission Agents) transaction with government of the United States.

“Various other military procurements have been made. Balance of expenditure stands at about USD 880 million or so.

“Barring considerations of national security, the details of the stage of implementation, the procurements made and the suppliers will be obtained.”

The Presidential spokesman said full details of the procurement will be provided subsequently.

He accused the PDP of spending defence procurement funds on their “failed 2015 political campaigns” as proven in court.

“That is not to say every succeeding government, more so one led by a Buhari will do the same,” Shehu added.