The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola over N4.6billion fraud allegation. The party said the Minister should not hide under the disagreements and confusion in his party over 2023 election, to divert attention from reports of how N4.6 billion public fund was allegedly diverted into private bank accounts during his tenure as Minister of Power, Works and Housing.
The PDP in the statement released on Friday 27th November 2020, by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, described as disheartening that: “a highly respected minister like Babatunde Fashola, has failed to explain how such amount of money was allegedly diverted through surreptitious payments, in 654 tranches to 21 private bank accounts in a space of two months; a situation which highlights the level of rot in that ministry in the years of its existence under his watch,”. the statement said.
The PDP statement also alleged that: “Babatunde Fashola has failed to respond to Nigerians inquisitions on how he allegedly oversaw such a corrupt system, which points to why our nation’s power, housing and road infrastructure sector had remained in shambles despite the huge resources allocated during the tenure.
Instead, what we see are attempts to use primordial discussion related to disagreements in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to divert attention from the fraud allegation.
It is rather pathetic that Fashola is still in his political pipe dream under a rejected APC when the people have moved on even as Nigerians of goodwill are already rallying on the platform of our party for solutions to the myriads of problems brought upon our nation by the APC.
The PDP, however, notes Babatunde Fashola’s description of political parties in the mould of the APC as “clubs”, which further confirmed that the APC is not out for governance but a power-grabbing platform of self-centred individuals; the reason our nation has been in a dire strait since the last five years
The PDP invites the public to note Babatunde Fashola’s assertion that Nigerians can only vote for a party that fulfils its promises.
This statement is an indictment on the APC and justifies the decision by Nigerians to distance themselves from that party.
Moreover, the PDP holds the constant reference to our party by APC leaders, including Fashola, as a direct demonstration of their admission that our party is the only platform that can return hope and direction to Nigerians, particularly, the youths.
Nevertheless, our party charges the Minister of Works and Housing to leave the issue of 2023 and immediately address the allegation of fraud hanging around his tenure as minister of power, works and housing,” the statement added.