The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself from the call made by the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, The Nation reports.
Acting National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has said the statement credited to Abdullahi Jalo is not the stance of the party.
It was reported that Jalo, called on Jonathan to respond to the claims by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, that the $2.1 billion arms procurement fund was disbursed on the directives of the former president.
The acting national chairman Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke at the party’s constitution amendment forum in Abuja, on Tuesday, January 12, disowned the statement credited to Jalo. He said Jalo spoke for himself and that his views did not represent the position of the party’s leadership.
“Let me make it clear to you that Jalo was only expressing his personal opinion because his views did not represent the position of the party.
“There was no time we discussed at the National Executive Committee (NEC) that Jonathan should speak on the arms deal scandal. There was no time such a thing came up at the NEC. So, Jalo must be expressing his personal opinion,” Secondus said.
The acting chairman who lamented the continued detention of the party’s national publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh and other chieftains of the PDP by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), called on the anti-graft agency to immediately release Metuh.
According to him, Metuh’s continued detention was against the rule of law and a breach of his fundamental human right.
Secondus used the opportunity to deny reports that he has been removed as the party’s acting national chairman, pointing out that the party’s constitution recognised his position in the absence of a substantive chair.
Meanwhile, about 12 prominent PDP chieftains, including Dasuki, are currently standing trial for their involvement in the disbursement of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase for the Nigerian armed forces to prosecute the war against Boko Haram terrorists group under the administration of former president Jonathan.
However, Metuh, has reportedly torn a statement he made to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), concerning his alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms fraud.
The national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), John-Odigie Oyegun in reaction to the alleged witch-hunt claim by the PDP, has said that the party is not apologetic over the anti-corruption war of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
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