The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Minister of Works
and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to speak on allegations that N4.6 billion public funds was funneled
into private accounts during his tenure as Minister of Power, Works and
Housing.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan charged the Buhari Presidency to speak out on the report
which it said had has further exposed the rot and humongous corruption going on in
ministries, department and agencies under its watch, despite the much
orchestrated anti-corruption stance and “holier than thou” attitude of
its officials.
The statement read in part: “Nigerians were shocked by the revelations that between September and
December 2019 alone, the sum of N4.6 billion was stolen through
fraudulent payments in 654 tranches, without any explanatory details to
21 private accounts belonging to some faceless individuals and certain
directors in the then Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, under
Fashola.
“It is indeed appalling and of course revealing that such huge fraud,
which is in direct contravention of Sections 7, 701 and 713 of our
nation’s financial regulations reportedly occurred under Fashola’s
watch”.
“Section 713 clearly provides that no “public money shall be paid into a
private bank account” and that “an official who pays public money into a
private account is deemed to have done so with fraudulent intentions”.
“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the pattern and route of this
fraud points to a high level conspiracy to funnel out funds from the
ministry to service some higher interests, which must be unraveled and
the funds immediately recovered.
“Nigerians can now see why the nation’s power, housing and road
infrastructure had remained in shambles despite the huge resources
allocated for development under the Buhari administration”, the statement further read.
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