Headlines Politics

PDP presidential ticket widens as Sen Datti tussle with Atiku

…Baze Varsity pro- chancellor joins race for 2019
…Jonathan’s aide, Omokri releases list of alleged APC looters
Few months to primaries of political parties to pick their standard bearers especially presidential candidates and other juicy posts, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has great task of picking its presidential flag bearer as the ranks of aspirants continue to swell by the day.

The Daily Times recalls that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, declared his intention to contest for the coveted seat of presidency in 2019.

But the latest entrant into the race is Senator Datti Baba Ahmed, the Pro- Chancellor of the Baze University, Abuja.

Datti Baba-Ahmed was a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007 and senior PDP member in Kaduna State.

He was however elected as a Senator on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC) in 2011 when he defeated two-time former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi.

Throwing his hat into the ring, Baba Ahmed’s entrance will definitely widen the race for favourite aspirants including Turaki Adamawa and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwabo, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido and others.

Until his recent defection to the PDP, Datti was prominent and staunch mobiliser in Kaduna State and he was said to be commanding a sizeable number of followers.

Datti is also said to be getting set to reap from the fallout in the difficulty likely to be encountered by the PDP in picking between the bigwigs jostling for the prestigious presidential ticket.

He is said to be a technocrat, young and holds two masters degrees. He also established one of the popular private universities, Baze University in Abuja.

Aged 48, Datti is said to believe that the Presidency is a transformative engine to promote good and suppress evil for the economic prosperity, social security, and political stability of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Reno Omokri, former aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has released a list of alleged All Progressives Congress (APC) looters he termed the “real looters”.

In a post on his Facebook, Reno Omokri claimed that the list, comprising top shots of the APC is one President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, do not want Nigerians to see.

Omokri, who wrote a book on Jonathan, said: “A few days ago, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, released a so-called ‘looters list’ with six names of alleged looters.

“After he was ridiculed by civil society, the opposition and the international community, Mr. Lai Mohammed hurriedly put out a statement tagging his list a ‘teaser’.

“When that lie refused to fly, Lai Mohammed, released yet another list yesterday, April 1, 2018.

“Coincidentally, April 1 is April Fools day and it was befitting that Lai released his list on that day because only a fool will believe the list he put together.

“His list did not contain even one member of the APC. If the list proves anything, it is that President Buhari, Lai Mohammed and their APC are not fighting corruption. Instead they are fighting opposition.

“I have taken the pains to produce a ‘teaser’ looters’ list of APC members who are collectively alleged to have looted over $2 billion (when you convert the dollar value of what they allegedly looted at the time they allegedly looted it).

“I challenge President Buhari and Lai Mohammed to explain why these men did not feature on their list and why they continue to remain in this APC government where they wield immense powers and influence, even over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that is meant to prosecute them.

“I further challenge President Buhari and Lai Mohammed to explain to Nigerians why they failed to reveal to Nigerians that President Buhari himself is a major beneficiary of the funds that the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, received from the treasury for the security of Nigerians.

“I assure Nigerians that Sambo Dasuki is not in jail for a crime he committed in 2015. He is rather being persecuted for a ‘crime’ he committed in 1985.

“Please find below the teaser list of looters.

“Note that this is just a teaser. Depending on the reaction of the Buhari-led government, more names will be released.

“Rotimi Amaechi: Indicted by the Justice George Omeregi-led Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry of looting N97 billion along with co- indictees including a former army general.

“Saminu Turaki: Alleged to have looted N36 billion. First charged before Justice Sabi’u Yahuza of the Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State. Currently facing trial before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“Timipre Sylva: A well-known financier and supporter of the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Alleged to have looted N19.7 billion. Was facing trial before Justice A. Y. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

However, two days after President Buhari was sworn-in, the new APC government withdrew the charges preferred against Sylva on June 1, 2015 and on October 3, 2015, the EFCC returned to Sylva, 48 houses seized from him during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 to him.

“Murtala Nyako: Alleged to have looted N29 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja

“Senator Danjuma Goje: Alleged to have looted N25 billion. Currently facing trial before the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State.

“Senator Abdullahi Adamu: Alleged to have looted N15 billion with the help of 18 co-accused. Charged on March 3, 2010. The case continues to linger in court.

“Orji Kalu: Alleged to have looted N3.2 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

“Kayode Fayemi: Indicted by the Ekiti Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by former Ekiti State Chief Judge and the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Ademola Ajakaiye, of sundry financial malfeasance totaling over N2 billion.

“Senator Joshua Dariye: Alleged to have looted N1.2 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Adebukola Banjoko before an FCT High Court.

“Babachir Lawal: former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Allegedly gave a N200 million contract to his own company from monies meant to look after Internally Displaced Persons.

Has been sacked after protest by the opposition and civil society. Has still not been charged. Was allowed to be replaced by his own cousin.

“By the omission of these names, the Buhari-led Federal Government has vindicated Transparency International.

“According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Nigeria is more corrupt today under Buhari than at any other time since Transparency International started keeping records!

“We have moved 12 places backward from 136 to 148. Yet this administration has the guts to accuse a government under whom Nigeria made her best ever progress on the Corruption Perception Index of corruption?

We moved from 144 to 136 in 2014 under President Jonathan because that government fought corruption in court and not through the media.”

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