PPYC president, comrade Salau Kola during a press conference on Monday said the group deemed it imperative to address the media in order to clear knotty issues and send a clear message to detractors of the ongoing probe of alleged N2.5 billion fraud at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
He said, “We are keenly watching the ugly progression of the probe of the at NEMA by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the repulsive role of some vested interests blackmailing and intimidating the current NEMA leadership, as reflected in the questionable intervention of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee.
“It is pertinent to state that we are not against the probe of the alleged N2.5 billion alleged fraud at the agency, which principally covers the period of the immediate past leadership of the agency led by Mr Sani Sidi Mohammed as the Director-General (DG) and some of his directors.
“The investigation by the EFCC bordered on alleged conspiracies, abuse of office, misappropriation and diversion of public funds, which the anti-graft agency officially reported to the office of the Vice-President, in an official mail dated, March 1, 2018, against the former DG of NEMA and some directors who served under him.
“The indisputable fact is that the current probe was initiated by the Board of NEMA and acting in consonance with established norms, the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who statutorily chairs the NEMA Board instantly suspended the directors implicated in the sleaze to pave way for a clean, unhindered and successful completion of the investigation by the EFCC.
“But rather than concentrate or channel energy on clearing their names or establishing their innocence, the directors have deployed various antics to subvert the course of justice, by dragging the NEMA Board to the House of Representatives ad hoc Committee.
“The invitation of the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo by the Hon. Ali Isa-led committee over the N2.5 billion fraud, instead of the indicted six directors implicated in the fraud is an affront or the person and office of the Vice President. It is a undisguised plot to tarnish his good image, integrity and reputation, which cannot be allowed to stand.”
Comrade Salau said the group frowned, condemned and renounced the subterranean plots by those they tagged “political coupists” to unjustly drag NEMA’s current leadership under with Mr. Mustapha Maihaja as DG and the Vice President who chairs the NEMA Board into the obvious and unnecessary politicization of a normal probe by the anti-graft agency.
The group mocked the reason, saying there is no wisdom in the direction being bandied in public domain , whereas, preliminary investigations by the EFCC has substantially pointed to the leadership of the former NEMA DG and some directors who are still in service.
“So, we want to unequivocally state that the actors in this sordid drama, particularly the House of Representative’s adhoc committee has no cogent, lawful or moral reasons to invite the Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo to appear before it on the laughable reason of explaining why he suspected the six directors implicated in the N2.5 billion alleged fraud were suspended.
“Should the House of Reps be more concerned about the suspension of the indicted officials; or genuinely assisting in tracing the whereabouts of alleged missing funds?
“This is completely laughable, senseless and unacceptable. We perceive the intervention of the House of Reps ad hoc committee from this flawed and illegal angle, as a discreet move to assist the indicted directors evade justice, but dubiously explore avenues to frame up Vice President Osinbajo to rubbish the anti-corruption campaign of President Muhemmedu Buhari ahead of the 2019 ballot.
“The Vice President, Prof. Osinbajo has not erred in any way to enable a drill by the House of Reps. It is therefore, more sensible and reasonable to allow the six directors suspended for their implications in the alleged fraud to defend themselves at the EFCC or possibly go to court, than the easy resort to gimmicks, vindictive actions and chasing of shadows by senselessly dragging the Vice President into the mess they orchestrated.
“Let us make it abundantly clear that these sponsored actors and their band of odious characters who are erroneously thinking, they have the power to destroy Prof. Osinbajo’s political career to have a rethink. Prof. Osinbajo is the most senior Yoruba appointee in the present government and any attempt to unjustifiably launch conspiratorial and satanic attacks on him, to rubbish the Southwest before Nigerians would be vehemently and lawfully resisted. We shall deem it as an attack on the whole of the Southwest and no weapon would be spared in this battle.
“We suspect, the desperation to cover the tracks of the former NEMA DG and the six directors about the alleged fraud; while the Vice President would be thrown up for public ridicule and embarrassment and used as a sacrificial lamb by those who think the fate of Nigeria lies in their hands.
“May it be noted that we are aware of plots by these retrogressive forces to use bogus and frivolous claims on non- existing financial expenditures to cage the current NEMA DG and the Vice President. Such plans should be perished immediately, because we are ready and sufficiently angered to match them strength for strength.
“We know Prof. Osinbajo as a personality and leader with strong positive character and integrity. No one would be allowed to baselessly tamper with the good reputation he has painstakingly erected over the years. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.,” he ended.
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