PDP accuses presidency of covering corruption

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the presidency of covering corruption, describing as shocking the recall by President Muhammadu Buhari of the suspended executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NIHS), Prof. Usman Yusuf.

The party claimed that Yusuf was still being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N919 million fraud before his recall.

The PDP in a statement on Wednesday by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan also claimed that Buhari has lost the anti-graft war by protecting "indicted officials" of the APC administration.

"It is disgusting that the same Presidency brandishing a medal of ‘African Union Anti-Corruption Champion’ would short-circuit the processes, arm-twist anti-graft agencies and pull out an indicted  government official while he was still a guest at the EFCC. 

"This is a government official probed and thoroughly indicted for abuse of office and fraud to the tune of N919 million by a committee set up by the Minister of Health, comprising senior officials of the Health ministry, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and which report  was submitted to the President last September.

"The report detailed Yusuf as a public servant who 'portrayed a holier than thou attitude but at the background, milked the agency dry'  by ganging up with other fraudulent elements to fleece the NHIS to the tune of over N919 million through fraudulent procurements, while  name-dropping on the President.

"Instead of allowing for the conclusion of investigation and eventual prosecution by the EFCC, the Presidency halted the process and rewarded the indicted official with a recall from suspension, even without any recourse to the supervising minister simply because Prof. Yusuf is not only of the APC but also known to be very close to the President.

"The only way the Presidency can redeem itself from this particular scandal is to immediately return Prof. Yusuf to the EFCC and allow the  law to take it course if it is actually fighting corruption in Nigeria.

"In the same vein, we challenge the Presidency to immediately name the minister indicted for corrupt enrichment and bring him out for investigation and prosecution in line with the law, "the PDP said.

‎Similarly, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said in a statement by his media aide, Ike Abonyi  that all hands must be on deck to save Nigeria  from "APC administration that has become a monumental disaster."